ICAC continues to enjoy public confidence, annual survey reveals
2003-2-25
The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) continues to enjoy a high degree of public confidence as revealed in a latest opinion poll and the proportion of non-anonymous reports.
Speaking at a press conference today (Tuesday), ICAC Commissioner Ambrose Lee Siu-kwong said that of the total 4,371 corruption reports received last year, 72% were non-anonymous –'96 the highest proportion since the ICAC's inception, reflecting the public's confidence in the Commission.
He also revealed that according to an independent survey commissioned by the ICAC in 2002, 98.6% of respondents considered the ICAC deserved their support.
The same survey also showed that up to 95.1% of respondents said neither themselves nor their relatives and friends had come across corruption in Hong Kong in the past 12 months.
Mr Lee asserted that corruption in Hong Kong was under control, and the civil service remained generally clean.
However, he observed that some civil servants involved in ICAC cases were facing financial difficulties, while others were found to have misconducted themselves as a result of association with undesirable elements, or investments in business which might h ave a conflict with their official duties.
Amongst the corruption and commercial fraud cases uncovered after the Asian financial turmoil, about 70 of them involved over one million Hong Kong dollars each, Mr Lee pointed out.
Of the 397 persons prosecuted in private sector cases completed last year, more than half were managers, executives or professionals.
On the upcoming Village Representative Elections, Mr Lee stressed that various measures would be adopted to ensure the elections would be conducted in a clean and fair manner, including the setting up of a special taskforce to combat corrupt and illegal a ctivities and the launching of a "Support Clean VR Elections" educational campaign.
Looking ahead, the Commissioner said ICAC's caseload was expected to remain high, and the community must be vigilant that the temptation to cut corners or seek illegal advantages may rear its ugly head under the current economic climate.
However, Mr Lee assured the public that there was little cause for alarm as a culture of probity had firmly taken root in the community and a revival of rampant corruption was deemed unlikely.
Mr Lee also said the ICAC would make every effort to ensure the cost-effectiveness of its work under the current financial stringency.
He pointed out that the ICAC had recently restructured its Operations Department and reallocated resources to enhance efficiency.
Apart from contracting out more of its publicity work, the Community Relations Department would consider a wider use of the Internet in spreading anti-corruption messages, including the launching of a web channel with existing resources, Mr Lee said.
On the corruption prevention front, the Corruption Prevention Department would produce Best Practice modules for different departments' common use.
The Commissioner also pledged that the ICAC would continue to enforce the anti-corruption laws vigorously and impartially.
Meanwhile, the ICAC will step up preventive education for civil servants, and strengthen corruption prevention work on outsourcing of government services and management of government funds.
Mr Lee also said the ICAC would continue to assist corporations to formulate codes of conduct, and to encourage professional bodies to enhance training on ethical management.
On broader horizons, the Commission will continue to enhance co-operation and exchanges with counterparts in the Mainland in combatting cross-boundary corruption.
As the crime of corruption has become increasingly globalised, the Commission would continue to strengthen its co-operation and exchange anti-corruption experience with other jurisdictions, Mr Lee added.
Speaking at a press conference today (Tuesday), ICAC Commissioner Ambrose Lee Siu-kwong said that of the total 4,371 corruption reports received last year, 72% were non-anonymous –'96 the highest proportion since the ICAC's inception, reflecting the public's confidence in the Commission.
He also revealed that according to an independent survey commissioned by the ICAC in 2002, 98.6% of respondents considered the ICAC deserved their support.
The same survey also showed that up to 95.1% of respondents said neither themselves nor their relatives and friends had come across corruption in Hong Kong in the past 12 months.
Mr Lee asserted that corruption in Hong Kong was under control, and the civil service remained generally clean.
However, he observed that some civil servants involved in ICAC cases were facing financial difficulties, while others were found to have misconducted themselves as a result of association with undesirable elements, or investments in business which might h ave a conflict with their official duties.
Amongst the corruption and commercial fraud cases uncovered after the Asian financial turmoil, about 70 of them involved over one million Hong Kong dollars each, Mr Lee pointed out.
Of the 397 persons prosecuted in private sector cases completed last year, more than half were managers, executives or professionals.
On the upcoming Village Representative Elections, Mr Lee stressed that various measures would be adopted to ensure the elections would be conducted in a clean and fair manner, including the setting up of a special taskforce to combat corrupt and illegal a ctivities and the launching of a "Support Clean VR Elections" educational campaign.
Looking ahead, the Commissioner said ICAC's caseload was expected to remain high, and the community must be vigilant that the temptation to cut corners or seek illegal advantages may rear its ugly head under the current economic climate.
However, Mr Lee assured the public that there was little cause for alarm as a culture of probity had firmly taken root in the community and a revival of rampant corruption was deemed unlikely.
Mr Lee also said the ICAC would make every effort to ensure the cost-effectiveness of its work under the current financial stringency.
He pointed out that the ICAC had recently restructured its Operations Department and reallocated resources to enhance efficiency.
Apart from contracting out more of its publicity work, the Community Relations Department would consider a wider use of the Internet in spreading anti-corruption messages, including the launching of a web channel with existing resources, Mr Lee said.
On the corruption prevention front, the Corruption Prevention Department would produce Best Practice modules for different departments' common use.
The Commissioner also pledged that the ICAC would continue to enforce the anti-corruption laws vigorously and impartially.
Meanwhile, the ICAC will step up preventive education for civil servants, and strengthen corruption prevention work on outsourcing of government services and management of government funds.
Mr Lee also said the ICAC would continue to assist corporations to formulate codes of conduct, and to encourage professional bodies to enhance training on ethical management.
On broader horizons, the Commission will continue to enhance co-operation and exchanges with counterparts in the Mainland in combatting cross-boundary corruption.
As the crime of corruption has become increasingly globalised, the Commission would continue to strengthen its co-operation and exchange anti-corruption experience with other jurisdictions, Mr Lee added.