Corruption prevention to be stepped up while cross-boundary report figure remains low, says ICAC Commissioner
2004-9-14
While cross-boundary corruption reports remained steady in recent years, the ICAC would step up co-operation with Mainland counterparts and continue its efforts to enhance corruption prevention among Hong Kong companies involved in cross-boundary business es, said ICAC Commissioner, Raymond Wong Hung-chiu today (Tuesday).
Mr Wong revealed that in recent years, cross-boundary corruption reports lodged with the ICAC averaged no more than 80 each year, representing only two per cent of all graft reports, he said.
The total number of such graft reports in the first eight months of this year dropped to 32 from 58 in the same period last year.
In addressing the " Ethical Management –'96 Seminar on Mainland-Hong Kong Business Vistas ", Mr Wong called on Hong Kong businessmen to strengthen ethical management and remain vigilant against possible corruption and malpractice as they explored opportunities opened up by Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) and the Pan-Pearl River Delta Regional Co-operation Frame Agreement.
He also revealed that the ICAC had recently produced a corruption prevention package designed to assist Hong Kong businessmen involved in businesses on the Mainland in understanding the relevant laws, implement corruption prevention measures and enhance s taff integrity training.
Addressing the seminar at the workshop on " Ethical Management –'96 Government and Business Sector Partnership ", ICAC's Director of Community Relations, Mrs Erika Hui Lam Yin-ming, said the package would serve as a handy reference for businessmen and managers to beef up ethical training of their staff.
"The best way for companies to prevent corruption and malpractice is to promote a culture of probity among all staff, as well as strengthening corporate governance and ethical management," she added.
She also reminded cross-boundary companies to formulate guidelines on declaration of interest and to enhance staff's awareness of possible conflict of interest situations.
Jointly organised by the ICAC and six member chambers of commerce of the Hong Kong Ethics Development Advisory Committee, today's seminar provided a forum for some 200 businessmen to deepen their understanding of the anti-corruption laws of the two places , and to exchange experience on the challenges and best practices for cross-boundary businesses.
Mr Wang Hui, Deputy Director-General of Economic Affairs Department, Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong, delivered a luncheon speech on the business opportunities opened up for Hong Kong under CEPA.
Other keynote speakers at the seminar included Mr Willy Lin Sun-mo, Chairman of the Hong Kong Shippers' Council; Mr Clement Leung Cheuk-man, Deputy Director-General of Trade and Industry Department; Mr Jonathan Choi Koon-shum, Vice Chairman of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce; and Mr Yang Zhigang, Senior Prosecutor of the Public Prosecution Office, Guangdong Provincial People's Procuratorate.
Mr Anthony Nightingale, Chairman of the Hong Kong Ethics Development Advisory Committee, delivered a vote of thanks at the close of the seminar.
Meanwhile, ICAC Commissioner Raymond Wong also revealed that the Commission had received 87 complaints concerning the 2004 Legislative Council (Legco) Election as of yesterday. Among them, 77 were pursuable.
The allegations mainly concerned bribing electors (22 reports), voting offences (14), publishing false or misleading statements about a candidate (14) and publishing election advertisements that include false claims of support (7).
In the last Legco Election held in 2000, a total of 343 complaints were lodged with the ICAC, of which 76 were accumulated up to the day immediately after the polling day.
Mr Wong revealed that in recent years, cross-boundary corruption reports lodged with the ICAC averaged no more than 80 each year, representing only two per cent of all graft reports, he said.
The total number of such graft reports in the first eight months of this year dropped to 32 from 58 in the same period last year.
In addressing the " Ethical Management –'96 Seminar on Mainland-Hong Kong Business Vistas ", Mr Wong called on Hong Kong businessmen to strengthen ethical management and remain vigilant against possible corruption and malpractice as they explored opportunities opened up by Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) and the Pan-Pearl River Delta Regional Co-operation Frame Agreement.
He also revealed that the ICAC had recently produced a corruption prevention package designed to assist Hong Kong businessmen involved in businesses on the Mainland in understanding the relevant laws, implement corruption prevention measures and enhance s taff integrity training.
Addressing the seminar at the workshop on " Ethical Management –'96 Government and Business Sector Partnership ", ICAC's Director of Community Relations, Mrs Erika Hui Lam Yin-ming, said the package would serve as a handy reference for businessmen and managers to beef up ethical training of their staff.
"The best way for companies to prevent corruption and malpractice is to promote a culture of probity among all staff, as well as strengthening corporate governance and ethical management," she added.
She also reminded cross-boundary companies to formulate guidelines on declaration of interest and to enhance staff's awareness of possible conflict of interest situations.
Jointly organised by the ICAC and six member chambers of commerce of the Hong Kong Ethics Development Advisory Committee, today's seminar provided a forum for some 200 businessmen to deepen their understanding of the anti-corruption laws of the two places , and to exchange experience on the challenges and best practices for cross-boundary businesses.
Mr Wang Hui, Deputy Director-General of Economic Affairs Department, Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong, delivered a luncheon speech on the business opportunities opened up for Hong Kong under CEPA.
Other keynote speakers at the seminar included Mr Willy Lin Sun-mo, Chairman of the Hong Kong Shippers' Council; Mr Clement Leung Cheuk-man, Deputy Director-General of Trade and Industry Department; Mr Jonathan Choi Koon-shum, Vice Chairman of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce; and Mr Yang Zhigang, Senior Prosecutor of the Public Prosecution Office, Guangdong Provincial People's Procuratorate.
Mr Anthony Nightingale, Chairman of the Hong Kong Ethics Development Advisory Committee, delivered a vote of thanks at the close of the seminar.
Meanwhile, ICAC Commissioner Raymond Wong also revealed that the Commission had received 87 complaints concerning the 2004 Legislative Council (Legco) Election as of yesterday. Among them, 77 were pursuable.
The allegations mainly concerned bribing electors (22 reports), voting offences (14), publishing false or misleading statements about a candidate (14) and publishing election advertisements that include false claims of support (7).
In the last Legco Election held in 2000, a total of 343 complaints were lodged with the ICAC, of which 76 were accumulated up to the day immediately after the polling day.