Public support for anti-corruption work continues to grow, says ICAC Commissioner
2004-1-17
As the ICAC approaches its 30th anniversary, public support for the ICAC has continued to grow while the community in general does not tolerate corruption, said ICAC Commissioner Raymond Wong Hung-chiu at a press briefing today (Saturday).
According to independent annual surveys commissioned by the ICAC in recent years, the ICAC has enjoyed a high degree of public confidence. Last year, 99.3 per cent of those polled considered the anti-corruption agency deserved their support.
These surveys also showed that the public was highly intolerant of corruption in both the public and private sectors, Mr Wong added.
In these surveys, a 0-10 point scale, with 0 representing total rejection and 10 total tolerance of corruption, has been used to gauge the public's attitude towards corruption.
Last year, it was found that the tolerance level in regard to civil service corruption hit a record low of a mean score of 0.9.
The Commissioner also pointed out that in the past two years, up to 72% of the corruption complaints received by the ICAC were non-anonymous, reflecting a high degree of public trust in the anti-corruption agency.
On the general corruption scene, Mr Wong asserted that the overall situation remained stable, while the civil service was relatively clean.
Last year, the ICAC received 4,310 corruption complaints, a slight decrease of one per cent from 2002. Of these complaints, 57 per cent were related to the private sector, 36 per cent concerned government departments, and seven per cent were against publ ic bodies.
During the year, 416 persons were prosecuted for corruption and related offences, with conviction rate standing high at 85 per cent.
Despite stringent resources, Mr Wong pledged that the Commission would nonetheless continue to fight corruption without fear or favour.
Also, the ICAC would make every effort to maintain the effectiveness of its frontline service, he stressed.
Moreover, the ICAC would re-deploy its resources to strengthen ICAC's intelligence capability to combat serious or organised corruption, as part of its proactive strategy.
In tackling complex corruption related fraud cases, Mr Wong noted, the ICAC's Financial Investigation Section last year had handled financial analysis and tracing assets in 105 cases.
These cases involved 164 companies and 2,418 transactions, with a total value of $5.3 billion.
To focus its education efforts in major areas of concern, the ICAC has launched a two-year Business Ethics Programme for listed companies; and conducted corruption prevention studies on procurement procedures for various government departments.
As the building management sector attracted a relatively large number of corruption complaints last year, the Commission will produce corruption prevention guidebooks on contract management for owners' corporations.
The Commissioner also revealed that last year, a total of 711 complaints arising from various elections were received, of which 666 were pursuable.
A fresh round of publicity campaign would be launched to educate candidates, agents and voters of the upcoming Legislative Council elections on the importance of clean elections.
As regards the government sector, the ICAC would join hands with the Civil Service Bureau to assist government departments in reviewing their declaration of interest systems and to launch a Civil Service Integrity Entrenchment Programme, Mr Wong said.
In view of the increasingly close economic ties with the Mainland, the Commission will organise seminars in conjunction with the Mainland procuratorate authorities for businessmen in Hong Kong and the Mainland, and produce corruption prevention guidebooks tailor-made for companies engaged in cross boundary business.
The ICAC would also help subvented or statutory bodies set up effective systems to guard against misuse of public funds, Mr Wong said.
Lastly, to mark the Commission's 30th anniversary this year, the ICAC will also organise a string of community-based activities, including Open Day, TV drama series and roving exhibition to enhance the public's understanding of ICAC's work, and raise thei r awareness against corruption.
According to independent annual surveys commissioned by the ICAC in recent years, the ICAC has enjoyed a high degree of public confidence. Last year, 99.3 per cent of those polled considered the anti-corruption agency deserved their support.
These surveys also showed that the public was highly intolerant of corruption in both the public and private sectors, Mr Wong added.
In these surveys, a 0-10 point scale, with 0 representing total rejection and 10 total tolerance of corruption, has been used to gauge the public's attitude towards corruption.
Last year, it was found that the tolerance level in regard to civil service corruption hit a record low of a mean score of 0.9.
The Commissioner also pointed out that in the past two years, up to 72% of the corruption complaints received by the ICAC were non-anonymous, reflecting a high degree of public trust in the anti-corruption agency.
On the general corruption scene, Mr Wong asserted that the overall situation remained stable, while the civil service was relatively clean.
Last year, the ICAC received 4,310 corruption complaints, a slight decrease of one per cent from 2002. Of these complaints, 57 per cent were related to the private sector, 36 per cent concerned government departments, and seven per cent were against publ ic bodies.
During the year, 416 persons were prosecuted for corruption and related offences, with conviction rate standing high at 85 per cent.
Despite stringent resources, Mr Wong pledged that the Commission would nonetheless continue to fight corruption without fear or favour.
Also, the ICAC would make every effort to maintain the effectiveness of its frontline service, he stressed.
Moreover, the ICAC would re-deploy its resources to strengthen ICAC's intelligence capability to combat serious or organised corruption, as part of its proactive strategy.
In tackling complex corruption related fraud cases, Mr Wong noted, the ICAC's Financial Investigation Section last year had handled financial analysis and tracing assets in 105 cases.
These cases involved 164 companies and 2,418 transactions, with a total value of $5.3 billion.
To focus its education efforts in major areas of concern, the ICAC has launched a two-year Business Ethics Programme for listed companies; and conducted corruption prevention studies on procurement procedures for various government departments.
As the building management sector attracted a relatively large number of corruption complaints last year, the Commission will produce corruption prevention guidebooks on contract management for owners' corporations.
The Commissioner also revealed that last year, a total of 711 complaints arising from various elections were received, of which 666 were pursuable.
A fresh round of publicity campaign would be launched to educate candidates, agents and voters of the upcoming Legislative Council elections on the importance of clean elections.
As regards the government sector, the ICAC would join hands with the Civil Service Bureau to assist government departments in reviewing their declaration of interest systems and to launch a Civil Service Integrity Entrenchment Programme, Mr Wong said.
In view of the increasingly close economic ties with the Mainland, the Commission will organise seminars in conjunction with the Mainland procuratorate authorities for businessmen in Hong Kong and the Mainland, and produce corruption prevention guidebooks tailor-made for companies engaged in cross boundary business.
The ICAC would also help subvented or statutory bodies set up effective systems to guard against misuse of public funds, Mr Wong said.
Lastly, to mark the Commission's 30th anniversary this year, the ICAC will also organise a string of community-based activities, including Open Day, TV drama series and roving exhibition to enhance the public's understanding of ICAC's work, and raise thei r awareness against corruption.