ICAC sets up Hong Kong’s first anti-graft research centre
2009-4-2
The ICAC today (Thursday) set up Hong Kong’s first anti corruption research centre which integrates theoretical research with the results of empirical investigations.
The Centre of Anti-Corruption Studies, which capitalised on ICAC's 35 years’ of experience, was a natural step in the evolution of the Commission’s anti-corruption strategies, said ICAC Commissioner Dr Timothy Tong Hin-ming at the Opening Ceremony of the Centre.
The Centre will offer a unique resource for researchers and policy-makers working on anti-corruption reform and facilitate exchanges and collaboration with international and Mainland academic and anti-graft institutions.
Dr Tong noted that while corruption had been successfully fought in Hong Kong, the problem remained a major concern in many other parts of the world.
The World Bank Institute estimated that over US$1,000 billion was paid in bribes worldwide each year, demonstrating the high cost of corruption which affected economic growth.
The ultimate solution, said Dr Tong, rested with cross-boundary co-operation focussing on the causes of corruption and the ways and means to contain it and such research would also help the ICAC map out effective preventive measures and comprehensive prog rammes.
Speaking after the ceremony, Dr Tong also disclosed that the Centre had plans to embark on researches relating to practical issues such as the impact of economy on corruption trends.
In the first quarter of this year, the ICAC received a total of 811 corruption reports, representing a rise of 23 per cent from last year’s 659.
During the period, reports concerning the finance and insurance sector and the building management sectors respectively registered a rise of 46 per cent and 33 per cent.
While the relationship between corruption reports and the impact of the financial crisis needed to be further examined, Dr Tong said, the Commission would nonetheless stay vigilant and continue to rigorously fight corruption.
Officiating at the Opening Ceremony, the Secretary for Justice, Mr Wong Yan-lung, highlighted Hong Kong's achievements in anti corruption in his keynote speech.
Today’s opening ceremony was also attended by delegations from the Ministry of Supervision, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong, the Macao Public Prosecutions Office and the Macao Commission Against Corruption.
To mark the opening of the Centre, an anti-corruption seminar commenced today with 20 experts and academics making presentations on anti-corruption legislation and institutions of the United Kingdom, the United States, the Mainland and Hong Kong.
Keynote speakers included Lord Martin Thomas of Gresford, QC, United Kingdom; Professor Barry Rider, Professorial Fellow in Development Studies, University of Cambridge; and Mr Liao Ran, Senior Programme Coordinator for South Asia and East Asia of Transpa rency International.
Overseas speakers included Law Commission’s Professor Jeremy Horder and legal expert Mr Martin Polaine from the UK; and Ms Kathleen Hamann of the Department of Justice and Ms Jane Ley of the Office of Government Ethics from the US.
Representatives from the Mainland included Dr Wang Yanzhong of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Professor Zhao Bingzhi of the Beijing Normal University, Professor Li Chengyan of the Peking University, Dr Cheng Wenhao of the Tsinghua University and Professor Ma Huaide of the Chinese University of Political Science and Law.
ICAC’s Director of Investigation Mr Ryan Wong Sai-chiu and Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions of the Department of Justice Mr Ian McWalters also shared Hong Kong’s anti corruption experience at the seminar.
The seminar was attended by more than 200 academics, anti-graft experts and government officials from the UK, the US, the Mainland, Hong Kong and Macao.
The Centre of Anti-Corruption Studies, which capitalised on ICAC's 35 years’ of experience, was a natural step in the evolution of the Commission’s anti-corruption strategies, said ICAC Commissioner Dr Timothy Tong Hin-ming at the Opening Ceremony of the Centre.
The Centre will offer a unique resource for researchers and policy-makers working on anti-corruption reform and facilitate exchanges and collaboration with international and Mainland academic and anti-graft institutions.
Dr Tong noted that while corruption had been successfully fought in Hong Kong, the problem remained a major concern in many other parts of the world.
The World Bank Institute estimated that over US$1,000 billion was paid in bribes worldwide each year, demonstrating the high cost of corruption which affected economic growth.
The ultimate solution, said Dr Tong, rested with cross-boundary co-operation focussing on the causes of corruption and the ways and means to contain it and such research would also help the ICAC map out effective preventive measures and comprehensive prog rammes.
Speaking after the ceremony, Dr Tong also disclosed that the Centre had plans to embark on researches relating to practical issues such as the impact of economy on corruption trends.
In the first quarter of this year, the ICAC received a total of 811 corruption reports, representing a rise of 23 per cent from last year’s 659.
During the period, reports concerning the finance and insurance sector and the building management sectors respectively registered a rise of 46 per cent and 33 per cent.
While the relationship between corruption reports and the impact of the financial crisis needed to be further examined, Dr Tong said, the Commission would nonetheless stay vigilant and continue to rigorously fight corruption.
Officiating at the Opening Ceremony, the Secretary for Justice, Mr Wong Yan-lung, highlighted Hong Kong's achievements in anti corruption in his keynote speech.
Today’s opening ceremony was also attended by delegations from the Ministry of Supervision, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong, the Macao Public Prosecutions Office and the Macao Commission Against Corruption.
To mark the opening of the Centre, an anti-corruption seminar commenced today with 20 experts and academics making presentations on anti-corruption legislation and institutions of the United Kingdom, the United States, the Mainland and Hong Kong.
Keynote speakers included Lord Martin Thomas of Gresford, QC, United Kingdom; Professor Barry Rider, Professorial Fellow in Development Studies, University of Cambridge; and Mr Liao Ran, Senior Programme Coordinator for South Asia and East Asia of Transpa rency International.
Overseas speakers included Law Commission’s Professor Jeremy Horder and legal expert Mr Martin Polaine from the UK; and Ms Kathleen Hamann of the Department of Justice and Ms Jane Ley of the Office of Government Ethics from the US.
Representatives from the Mainland included Dr Wang Yanzhong of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Professor Zhao Bingzhi of the Beijing Normal University, Professor Li Chengyan of the Peking University, Dr Cheng Wenhao of the Tsinghua University and Professor Ma Huaide of the Chinese University of Political Science and Law.
ICAC’s Director of Investigation Mr Ryan Wong Sai-chiu and Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions of the Department of Justice Mr Ian McWalters also shared Hong Kong’s anti corruption experience at the seminar.
The seminar was attended by more than 200 academics, anti-graft experts and government officials from the UK, the US, the Mainland, Hong Kong and Macao.