ICAC teams up with district leaders to promote youth integrity
2009-8-23
The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) has joined hands with the 18 District Councils to promote integrity among youngsters through a series of district-based activities to be rolled out in the coming months.
Speaking at today’s (Sunday) ceremony launching the activities, ICAC Commissioner Dr Timothy Tong Hin-ming said that strong integrity was key to helping the youth prepare themselves for challenges ahead.
“Integrity serves as the foundation for people-to-people relationships and is key to a well-functioning society,” he said.
“Without integrity, whatever achievements and status one might have would not hold up. Without integrity, rule of law would be undermined and society would eventually cease to be competitive,” he said.
Only a solid foundation with strong integrity could help our youth resist temptations and avoid making mistakes that they would later regret, he added.
Speaking after the ceremony, the Commissioner said that Hong Kong’s young people were highly intolerant of corruption.
According to ICAC’s annual survey conducted late last year, about 90 per cent of young people aged below twenty-four polled expressed their willingness to report corruption, representing a six per cent increase over the previous year.
“Only very few youngsters committed corruption offences. From 2006 to 2008, the ICAC prosecuted fifty-five young offenders, aged between eighteen and twenty-five, mostly working youth and some university students,” he said.
Dr Tong outlined three major youth events within the next few months.
“In November, there will be a seminar on moral education. March will have a Youth Summit for university students. There will also be an API competition involving youth on the mainland and in Hong Kong,” he added.
Also officiating at the ceremony were Secretary for Home Affairs Mr Tsang Tak Sing and the 18 District Councils’ chairpersons and representatives.
More than 200 youngsters attended the ceremony and enjoyed performances by pop artistes Fiona Sit and Hinson Chou, the Dance Society of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and various student and youth groups.
Speaking at today’s (Sunday) ceremony launching the activities, ICAC Commissioner Dr Timothy Tong Hin-ming said that strong integrity was key to helping the youth prepare themselves for challenges ahead.
“Integrity serves as the foundation for people-to-people relationships and is key to a well-functioning society,” he said.
“Without integrity, whatever achievements and status one might have would not hold up. Without integrity, rule of law would be undermined and society would eventually cease to be competitive,” he said.
Only a solid foundation with strong integrity could help our youth resist temptations and avoid making mistakes that they would later regret, he added.
Speaking after the ceremony, the Commissioner said that Hong Kong’s young people were highly intolerant of corruption.
According to ICAC’s annual survey conducted late last year, about 90 per cent of young people aged below twenty-four polled expressed their willingness to report corruption, representing a six per cent increase over the previous year.
“Only very few youngsters committed corruption offences. From 2006 to 2008, the ICAC prosecuted fifty-five young offenders, aged between eighteen and twenty-five, mostly working youth and some university students,” he said.
Dr Tong outlined three major youth events within the next few months.
“In November, there will be a seminar on moral education. March will have a Youth Summit for university students. There will also be an API competition involving youth on the mainland and in Hong Kong,” he added.
Also officiating at the ceremony were Secretary for Home Affairs Mr Tsang Tak Sing and the 18 District Councils’ chairpersons and representatives.
More than 200 youngsters attended the ceremony and enjoyed performances by pop artistes Fiona Sit and Hinson Chou, the Dance Society of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and various student and youth groups.