ICAC strives to ensure youngsters keep staying away from graft
2003-4-17
Young people in Hong Kong are highly intolerant of corruption and they account for only a tiny fraction of those prosecuted for corruption and related offences, ICAC Commissioner Ambrose Lee Siu-kwong has revealed.
In his latest Commissioner Online column uploaded onto the ICAC's corporate website today (Thursday), Mr Lee says the 2002 ICAC annual survey indicates that young people aged between 15 and 24 are highly intolerant of corruption.
He adds that over the past three years, of the more than 1,600 persons prosecuted by the ICAC for corruption and other offences, only about six per cent were aged 25 or below.
There are indeed cases in which a handful of unsophisticated young people are found to have succumbed to temptations of corruption, he says.
The Commissioner stresses that most of the young people however observe a high standard of integrity and possess a strong sense of justice.
He cites a recent case in which a supervisor, who had embezzled company funds, attempted to offer monetary rewards to a young subordinate to hush the matter up. The subordinate had not only refused the offer but reported the case to the ICAC.
When faced with ethical dilemmas or temptations of corruption, Mr Lee recommends that young people should check against a three-step thinking test.
He says one needs to be sure whether a contemplated course of action will violate the laws such as the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance; check whether it will breach company or professional codes of conduct; and measure his decision against his personal va lues.
The Commissioner notes that more than 700 tertiary students from Hong Kong, the Mainland, Macau and Singapore who partook in the Youth Summit entitled " Corporate Governance for the New Generation " last month have expressed a fervid desire for a clean and fair society.
He emphasizes that it has been the ICAC's policy commitment to foster a culture of integrity in the younger generation through rigorous education efforts.
In the face of stringent resources, Mr Lee says the ICAC will continue to tap community resources and explore more cost-effective means to further its goals.
In recent years, the ICAC has forged close partnership with tertiary institutes, youth groups and related organizations to promote corruption prevention education to youngsters.
It is encouraging that a franchised fast food restaurant has lately, on its own initiative, organized a district slogan competition to promote honesty and positive values amongst children, he points out.
The new Commissioner Online article, entitled " Youth education crucial to clean society " has been uploaded onto the ICAC corporate website ( http://www.icac.org.hk ) for public access.
In his latest Commissioner Online column uploaded onto the ICAC's corporate website today (Thursday), Mr Lee says the 2002 ICAC annual survey indicates that young people aged between 15 and 24 are highly intolerant of corruption.
He adds that over the past three years, of the more than 1,600 persons prosecuted by the ICAC for corruption and other offences, only about six per cent were aged 25 or below.
There are indeed cases in which a handful of unsophisticated young people are found to have succumbed to temptations of corruption, he says.
The Commissioner stresses that most of the young people however observe a high standard of integrity and possess a strong sense of justice.
He cites a recent case in which a supervisor, who had embezzled company funds, attempted to offer monetary rewards to a young subordinate to hush the matter up. The subordinate had not only refused the offer but reported the case to the ICAC.
When faced with ethical dilemmas or temptations of corruption, Mr Lee recommends that young people should check against a three-step thinking test.
He says one needs to be sure whether a contemplated course of action will violate the laws such as the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance; check whether it will breach company or professional codes of conduct; and measure his decision against his personal va lues.
The Commissioner notes that more than 700 tertiary students from Hong Kong, the Mainland, Macau and Singapore who partook in the Youth Summit entitled " Corporate Governance for the New Generation " last month have expressed a fervid desire for a clean and fair society.
He emphasizes that it has been the ICAC's policy commitment to foster a culture of integrity in the younger generation through rigorous education efforts.
In the face of stringent resources, Mr Lee says the ICAC will continue to tap community resources and explore more cost-effective means to further its goals.
In recent years, the ICAC has forged close partnership with tertiary institutes, youth groups and related organizations to promote corruption prevention education to youngsters.
It is encouraging that a franchised fast food restaurant has lately, on its own initiative, organized a district slogan competition to promote honesty and positive values amongst children, he points out.
The new Commissioner Online article, entitled " Youth education crucial to clean society " has been uploaded onto the ICAC corporate website ( http://www.icac.org.hk ) for public access.