Public shows strong disdain for corruption
2012-4-5
ICAC’s annual survey found that the public showed a strong disdain for corruption and believed a clean society was crucial to Hong Kong’s overall development.
Amongst 1500-odd respondents to the survey, almost 80 per cent indicated a zero tolerance against corruption in Hong Kong.
On a scale of 0-10, with 0 representing total rejection and 10 representing total acceptance of corruption, the poll registered a mean score of 0.7, the lowest tolerance level recorded since the question was first asked in 2001.
The poll also showed nearly all respondents or 99.2 per cent agreed that keeping Hong Kong corruption-free was crucial to the territory’s overall development.
They believed that a clean society would help uphold fairness and justice, attract foreign investment, and benefit economic and commercial development.
An independent polling agency was commissioned by the ICAC to conduct a household survey between October and November last year to gauge the public’s perception and their major concerns in regard to the corruption problem.
“The survey not only shows a high degree of public vigilance against corruption but also the community’s continued trust in the ICAC as 98 per cent said the anti-graft agency deserved their support,” a spokesman for the ICAC said.
While 77.2 per cent indicated their willingness to report graft to the Commission, 87.8 per cent considered the Commission effective in fighting corruption.
As regards their actual experience, the vast majority or 98.5 per cent said that they had not come across corruption in the past 12 months. 95.2 per cent said their relatives and friends also had not experienced corruption.
When presented with scenarios involving corrupt and irregular practices of civil servants, owners’ incorporations, entertainment and catering businesses, and law enforcement officers, most respondents (ranging from 87 per cent to 97.8 per cent) found them unacceptable.
The survey also revealed that corruption in the construction and engineering industry (20.3 per cent), the disciplinary forces (13.4 per cent), the real estate sector (6.6 per cent) and the finance and banking sector (5.6 per cent) topped the list of peop le’s concern.
Meanwhile, more than half of the respondents or 51.4 per cent thought that the ICAC should strengthen its publicity and education work to enhance public awareness of corruption, with priorities accorded to students (40.2 per cent), government departments, civil servants or councillors (21.1 per cent) and youth (11.7 per cent).
“While we feel encouraged by the strong public support revealed in the survey, the findings also serve as useful reference for the ICAC in fine-tuning our work strategy to address the community’s concerns,” said the ICAC spokesman.
“The public can rest assured that the Commission will continue to carry out its duties effectively, independently and impartially, under stringent checks and balances,” the spokesman added.
Amongst 1500-odd respondents to the survey, almost 80 per cent indicated a zero tolerance against corruption in Hong Kong.
On a scale of 0-10, with 0 representing total rejection and 10 representing total acceptance of corruption, the poll registered a mean score of 0.7, the lowest tolerance level recorded since the question was first asked in 2001.
The poll also showed nearly all respondents or 99.2 per cent agreed that keeping Hong Kong corruption-free was crucial to the territory’s overall development.
They believed that a clean society would help uphold fairness and justice, attract foreign investment, and benefit economic and commercial development.
An independent polling agency was commissioned by the ICAC to conduct a household survey between October and November last year to gauge the public’s perception and their major concerns in regard to the corruption problem.
“The survey not only shows a high degree of public vigilance against corruption but also the community’s continued trust in the ICAC as 98 per cent said the anti-graft agency deserved their support,” a spokesman for the ICAC said.
While 77.2 per cent indicated their willingness to report graft to the Commission, 87.8 per cent considered the Commission effective in fighting corruption.
As regards their actual experience, the vast majority or 98.5 per cent said that they had not come across corruption in the past 12 months. 95.2 per cent said their relatives and friends also had not experienced corruption.
When presented with scenarios involving corrupt and irregular practices of civil servants, owners’ incorporations, entertainment and catering businesses, and law enforcement officers, most respondents (ranging from 87 per cent to 97.8 per cent) found them unacceptable.
The survey also revealed that corruption in the construction and engineering industry (20.3 per cent), the disciplinary forces (13.4 per cent), the real estate sector (6.6 per cent) and the finance and banking sector (5.6 per cent) topped the list of peop le’s concern.
Meanwhile, more than half of the respondents or 51.4 per cent thought that the ICAC should strengthen its publicity and education work to enhance public awareness of corruption, with priorities accorded to students (40.2 per cent), government departments, civil servants or councillors (21.1 per cent) and youth (11.7 per cent).
“While we feel encouraged by the strong public support revealed in the survey, the findings also serve as useful reference for the ICAC in fine-tuning our work strategy to address the community’s concerns,” said the ICAC spokesman.
“The public can rest assured that the Commission will continue to carry out its duties effectively, independently and impartially, under stringent checks and balances,” the spokesman added.