ICAC fights graft and electoral malpractice without fear or prejudice
2012-1-17
The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) continued to fight corruption and electoral malpractice without favour or prejudice in 2011, said Advisory Committee on Corruption Chairman Mrs Laura Cha.
Speaking at a press conference today (Tuesday), Mrs Cha noted that in 2011, the ICAC received 4,010 corruption reports, representing a rise of 13 per cent when compared with 3,535 reports in 2010. Pursuable reports increased by 12 per cent to 3,072.
Amongst the corruption reports, 66 per cent or 2,664 concerned the private sector, 28 per cent or 1,117 were related to government departments, and six per cent or 229 involved public bodies. A total of 283 persons were prosecuted and the case-based conv iction rate stood at a satisfactory rate of 84 per cent.
Out of 653 election-related reports received by the ICAC last year, 523 concerned the 2011 District Council (DC) Election.
Operations Review Committee Chairman Mr Michael Sze Cho-cheung revealed that as at January 15, 2012, the Commission had received 1,182 reports concerning the 2011 DC Election, 730 of which alleged vote-rigging offences.
Mr Sze said the ICAC had established a special taskforce to look into suspected vote-rigging cases involving over 2,300 residential addresses and more than 7,700 electors.
He also said over 70 per cent of corruption reports received in 2011 were non-anonymous, reflecting public confidence in the ICAC.
Despite a 6 per cent increase in graft reports against government departments, Mr Sze said the corruption situation in the civil service was under control and there was no sign of revival of syndicated corruption. Key areas of concern were misconduct in public office, misuse of authority, undesirable association, acceptance of advantages in official dealings as well as indebtedness.
In 2011, corruption reports in the private sector increased 19 per cent. Sectors attracting most complaints were building management, construction, trading, and finance and insurance sectors.
Joining Mrs Cha and Mr Sze at the annual press briefing to review the ICAC’s work were chairmen of the Corruption Prevention Advisory Committee (CPAC) and Citizens Advisory Committee on Community Relations (CACCR).
On the prevention front, CPAC Chairmen Mr Albert Au Siu-cheung noted that during the year, the ICAC promulgated two best practice checklists for government bodies and grantee organisations to enhance integrity in the proper administration of public fundin g schemes involving over $20 billion in total.
Addressing possible risks of corruption arising from the surge of Mainland expectant mothers giving birth in Hong Kong’s private hospitals, Mr Au said the ICAC compiled a corruption prevention guide to help strengthen the management and control in the administration of obstetric services.
A best practice checklist was also produced for national sports associations to enhance their governance and internal controls.
Mr Au revealed that a two-year integrity programme for bank managers would roll out later this year in collaboration with the Hong Kong Association of Banks and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority.
On the Commission’s educational efforts, CACCR Chairman Professor John Leong Chi-yan said the ICAC had made notable endeavours to use new approaches and new channels to promote and consolidate the culture of probity.
In the past year, the ICAC entrenched exchanges on preventive education experience with international and regional counterparts through the “International Anti-Corruption Public Service Announcement Video Competition and Workshop” , a regional conference on “Civil Service Integrity” as well as a conference for small and medium enterprises in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao.
Professor Leong said while the DC Election, Election Committee Subsector Elections and rural elections were held last year, a series of education and publicity programmes was launched to hammer home the clean election messages.
He also revealed that in the year, personal ethics modules developed by the ICAC were incorporated in the learning programmes of seven tertiary education institutions.
Meanwhile, the drama series “ ICAC Investigators 2011 ” broadcast in November last year was well received by the public. The series will be telecast on the Mainland later this year.
Looking ahead, Mrs Cha said the ICAC would continue to fulfil its anti-corruption mission and promote international collaboration. To this end, the “Fifth ICAC Symposium” would be held between May 9 and 11 this year to highlight the importance of adopting a new approach and strategy to fight corruption in a fast changing world.
Speaking at a press conference today (Tuesday), Mrs Cha noted that in 2011, the ICAC received 4,010 corruption reports, representing a rise of 13 per cent when compared with 3,535 reports in 2010. Pursuable reports increased by 12 per cent to 3,072.
Amongst the corruption reports, 66 per cent or 2,664 concerned the private sector, 28 per cent or 1,117 were related to government departments, and six per cent or 229 involved public bodies. A total of 283 persons were prosecuted and the case-based conv iction rate stood at a satisfactory rate of 84 per cent.
Out of 653 election-related reports received by the ICAC last year, 523 concerned the 2011 District Council (DC) Election.
Operations Review Committee Chairman Mr Michael Sze Cho-cheung revealed that as at January 15, 2012, the Commission had received 1,182 reports concerning the 2011 DC Election, 730 of which alleged vote-rigging offences.
Mr Sze said the ICAC had established a special taskforce to look into suspected vote-rigging cases involving over 2,300 residential addresses and more than 7,700 electors.
He also said over 70 per cent of corruption reports received in 2011 were non-anonymous, reflecting public confidence in the ICAC.
Despite a 6 per cent increase in graft reports against government departments, Mr Sze said the corruption situation in the civil service was under control and there was no sign of revival of syndicated corruption. Key areas of concern were misconduct in public office, misuse of authority, undesirable association, acceptance of advantages in official dealings as well as indebtedness.
In 2011, corruption reports in the private sector increased 19 per cent. Sectors attracting most complaints were building management, construction, trading, and finance and insurance sectors.
Joining Mrs Cha and Mr Sze at the annual press briefing to review the ICAC’s work were chairmen of the Corruption Prevention Advisory Committee (CPAC) and Citizens Advisory Committee on Community Relations (CACCR).
On the prevention front, CPAC Chairmen Mr Albert Au Siu-cheung noted that during the year, the ICAC promulgated two best practice checklists for government bodies and grantee organisations to enhance integrity in the proper administration of public fundin g schemes involving over $20 billion in total.
Addressing possible risks of corruption arising from the surge of Mainland expectant mothers giving birth in Hong Kong’s private hospitals, Mr Au said the ICAC compiled a corruption prevention guide to help strengthen the management and control in the administration of obstetric services.
A best practice checklist was also produced for national sports associations to enhance their governance and internal controls.
Mr Au revealed that a two-year integrity programme for bank managers would roll out later this year in collaboration with the Hong Kong Association of Banks and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority.
On the Commission’s educational efforts, CACCR Chairman Professor John Leong Chi-yan said the ICAC had made notable endeavours to use new approaches and new channels to promote and consolidate the culture of probity.
In the past year, the ICAC entrenched exchanges on preventive education experience with international and regional counterparts through the “International Anti-Corruption Public Service Announcement Video Competition and Workshop” , a regional conference on “Civil Service Integrity” as well as a conference for small and medium enterprises in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao.
Professor Leong said while the DC Election, Election Committee Subsector Elections and rural elections were held last year, a series of education and publicity programmes was launched to hammer home the clean election messages.
He also revealed that in the year, personal ethics modules developed by the ICAC were incorporated in the learning programmes of seven tertiary education institutions.
Meanwhile, the drama series “ ICAC Investigators 2011 ” broadcast in November last year was well received by the public. The series will be telecast on the Mainland later this year.
Looking ahead, Mrs Cha said the ICAC would continue to fulfil its anti-corruption mission and promote international collaboration. To this end, the “Fifth ICAC Symposium” would be held between May 9 and 11 this year to highlight the importance of adopting a new approach and strategy to fight corruption in a fast changing world.