Public remains vigilant while corruption under control, ICAC survey shows
2006-7-3
Hong Kong people continue to display a high state of vigilance against graft though the majority does not think corruption is common in Hong Kong, the latest ICAC annual poll reveals.
"Despite overall optimism about the graft situation, the public continues to adopt a strong attitude against corruption," a spokesman for the ICAC noted.
On a 0 –'96 10 point scale (with 0 representing total rejection and 10 total tolerance), the mean scores for public tolerance of corruption in both the civil service and the business sector hit a record low –'96 0.8 and 1.6 respectively, the 2005 survey shows.
The ICAC survey, commissioned to a professional research consultant, polled 1,503 citizens through random sampling in October last year.
In the opinion survey, up to 67.6 per cent of respondents thought that corruption was uncommon in the territory –'96 the highest percentage recorded since 2002.
Meanwhile, only an extremely low percentage of respondents –'96 3.2% –'96 said they had actually come across corruption in the past year.
Looking ahead, 75.6 per cent believed corruption would decrease or remain steady in the next 12 months. Only 16.8 per cent held an opposite view - a lowest percentage in the past four years. In 2002, 36.8% expected an increase in graft.
The survey also finds the ICAC continued to enjoy strong public support with an overwhelming majority or 98.9 per cent saying that the anti-corruption agency deserved their support.
This strong sense of public trust was echoed in other areas –'96 65.3 per cent indicated their willingness to report corruption, while 70.7 per cent were ready to identify themselves in doing so.
Furthermore, 88.6% believed the ICAC was keeping reports it received confidential while 72.6% thought it would be impartial in its investigations.
Since 2004, the survey included an additional indicator of public confidence in the ICAC. On a 0 –'96 10 point scale, with 0 representing no confidence at all and 10 completely confident, a mean score of 7.6 was recorded in the latest survey, similar to that in 2004.
"Statistically speaking, a score between 7 and 10 is regarded as a high level of confidence," the spokesman explained.
On the agency's overall performance, 67.9 per cent of respondents considered the ICAC very effective or effective, similar to the annual survey findings in recent years. The most commonly cited reasons included: (i) the ICAC had cracked many cases, (ii) anti-corruption publicity and education efforts were sufficient, and (iii) corruption cases had decreased gradually.
Similar to the results in 2004, over half of the respondents (56.6%) believed the ICAC should target corruption in both the government and business sectors.
But more people (26.4%) tended to believe that corruption in the business sector should be given priority, compared with 23% in 2004 and 17.8% in 2002.
Meanwhile, a significant proportion of respondents or 63.2 per cent believed that the Commission had not abused its powers. Only a small proportion (15.2%) thought otherwise, with most attributing their views to media reports and some saying it was purel y "guessing".
The majority (76.1%) considered that the agency was given an appropriate amount of powers and 59.1 per cent were aware that it was subject to external monitoring.
"To sustain the public's confidence in the ICAC, we will uphold our pledge to attack corruption vigorously and impartially.
"Irrespective of the profession or sector and the background of the suspect involved, all cases will be pursued without fear or favour, and in accordance with the laws.
"Apart from strict law enforcement, the ICAC will keep up its efforts on the prevention and education fronts to help maintain Hong Kong a clean place to live in and to do business.
"We shall fine-tune our work strategies in the light of the public views gauged through the latest survey results," the spokesman said.
"Despite overall optimism about the graft situation, the public continues to adopt a strong attitude against corruption," a spokesman for the ICAC noted.
On a 0 –'96 10 point scale (with 0 representing total rejection and 10 total tolerance), the mean scores for public tolerance of corruption in both the civil service and the business sector hit a record low –'96 0.8 and 1.6 respectively, the 2005 survey shows.
The ICAC survey, commissioned to a professional research consultant, polled 1,503 citizens through random sampling in October last year.
In the opinion survey, up to 67.6 per cent of respondents thought that corruption was uncommon in the territory –'96 the highest percentage recorded since 2002.
Meanwhile, only an extremely low percentage of respondents –'96 3.2% –'96 said they had actually come across corruption in the past year.
Looking ahead, 75.6 per cent believed corruption would decrease or remain steady in the next 12 months. Only 16.8 per cent held an opposite view - a lowest percentage in the past four years. In 2002, 36.8% expected an increase in graft.
The survey also finds the ICAC continued to enjoy strong public support with an overwhelming majority or 98.9 per cent saying that the anti-corruption agency deserved their support.
This strong sense of public trust was echoed in other areas –'96 65.3 per cent indicated their willingness to report corruption, while 70.7 per cent were ready to identify themselves in doing so.
Furthermore, 88.6% believed the ICAC was keeping reports it received confidential while 72.6% thought it would be impartial in its investigations.
Since 2004, the survey included an additional indicator of public confidence in the ICAC. On a 0 –'96 10 point scale, with 0 representing no confidence at all and 10 completely confident, a mean score of 7.6 was recorded in the latest survey, similar to that in 2004.
"Statistically speaking, a score between 7 and 10 is regarded as a high level of confidence," the spokesman explained.
On the agency's overall performance, 67.9 per cent of respondents considered the ICAC very effective or effective, similar to the annual survey findings in recent years. The most commonly cited reasons included: (i) the ICAC had cracked many cases, (ii) anti-corruption publicity and education efforts were sufficient, and (iii) corruption cases had decreased gradually.
Similar to the results in 2004, over half of the respondents (56.6%) believed the ICAC should target corruption in both the government and business sectors.
But more people (26.4%) tended to believe that corruption in the business sector should be given priority, compared with 23% in 2004 and 17.8% in 2002.
Meanwhile, a significant proportion of respondents or 63.2 per cent believed that the Commission had not abused its powers. Only a small proportion (15.2%) thought otherwise, with most attributing their views to media reports and some saying it was purel y "guessing".
The majority (76.1%) considered that the agency was given an appropriate amount of powers and 59.1 per cent were aware that it was subject to external monitoring.
"To sustain the public's confidence in the ICAC, we will uphold our pledge to attack corruption vigorously and impartially.
"Irrespective of the profession or sector and the background of the suspect involved, all cases will be pursued without fear or favour, and in accordance with the laws.
"Apart from strict law enforcement, the ICAC will keep up its efforts on the prevention and education fronts to help maintain Hong Kong a clean place to live in and to do business.
"We shall fine-tune our work strategies in the light of the public views gauged through the latest survey results," the spokesman said.