ICAC Commissioner Mr Woo Ying-ming today (May 1) concluded a seven-day duty visit to three member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), i.e., Brunei Darussalam, Singapore and Indonesia, further strengthening diverse anti-corruption collaboration between Hong Kong and ASEAN countries which would contribute to the integrity development in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia as well as enhance the anti-corruption capabilities across the Asia-Pacific region in a long run.

Mr Woo, also serving as President of the International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities (IAACA), commenced the duty visit in Brunei Darussalam and held a bilateral meeting with Datin Paduka Hajah Anifa Rafiza binti Haji Abdul Ghani, Director of the Anti-Corruption Bureau of Brunei Darussalam (ACB) and IAACA Executive Committee member, to exchange insights on anti-graft efforts in both regions. Earlier in January, the ICAC co-hosted a training programme with ACB to share experience in engaging young people in anti-corruption work, which was well received. This bilateral meeting further established collaboration in officers’ training and other initiatives, including the participation of ACB officials in a webinar on forensic accounting to be co-hosted by ICAC and IAACA in June.

“The meeting not only fortified the partnership between the two organisations, but also demonstrated and affirmed the outstanding achievements of IAACA’s efforts to foster international graft fighting cooperation.” Mr Woo said.

After Brunei Darussalam, the ICAC delegation flew to Singapore where Mr Woo met with Mr Sam Tee, Director of Singapore’s Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB). During the meeting, the delegation and CPIB established multifaceted collaborations, including mutual attachment of officers of ICAC and CPIB for exchanging practical experience and enhancing anti-corruption capabilities.

The delegation also met with the Commissioner of the Singapore Police Force (SPF) Mr Hoong Wee-teck to share views on law enforcement practices. The delegation also visited the Home Team School of Criminal Investigation, the SPF’s dedicated training unit, to learn about the latest application of technology and investigation skills.

“Hong Kong and Singapore are both Asia’s leading financial centres. As cross-boundary corruption crime has become increasingly sophisticated, timely exchanges on anti-corruption enforcement work between both places are particularly important for effectively maintaining economic stability and a clean investment environment in the region.” Mr Woo said.

The delegation then travelled to Indonesia where they met with Mr Setyo Budiyanto, Chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission of Indonesia (KPK). The KPK had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the ICAC in September last year, establishing a framework for anti-corruption collaboration. KPK is also the incumbent rotating Chair of the ASEAN Parties Against Corruption. At the meeting, Mr Woo proposed to strengthen collaboration on law enforcement and preventive education.

During the duty visit, the delegation also invited the three ASEAN countries to join a regional training programme in Thailand on engaging youth in anti-corruption work, which will be held jointly by the ICAC, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), IAACA, and the National Anti-Corruption Commission of Thailand in July this year.

The ICAC also took the opportunity to successfully invite the three ASEAN countries to join the “Coding4Integrity” Asian Youth Anti-Corruption Hackathon to be held in Hong Kong this September. The Hackathon, jointly hosted by the ICAC, IAACA and UNODC, aims to assemble outstanding youngsters from various countries to participate in Asia’s first-ever large-scale anti-corruption coding competition, and to enhance youngsters’ integrity awareness and their engagement in anti-graft work.

Summarizing the duty trip, Mr Woo said the delegation had managed to visit four law enforcement agencies in the three countries within a short period of time with significant outcomes. Amid the current complex geopolitical situation, fostering practical anti-corruption collaborations with ASEAN members remains the Commission’s top priority for strengthening international partnership.

During the trip, the delegation also met with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to ASEAN Ms Hou Yanqi; the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to Brunei Darussalam Mr Xiao Jianguo; the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to Singapore Mr Cao Zhongming; and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to Indonesia Mr Wang Lutong respectively, to learn about local social developments, as well as the cooperation between China and ASEAN member countries.

ICAC officers accompanying Mr Woo on the duty visit include Assistant Director of Corruption Prevention Department Ms Kate Cheuk Chi-yan, Senior Principal Investigator of Operations Department Ms Bonnie Wong Kar-man, Chief Academy Officer Mr Davyn Wan Wing-hung and Chief Community Relations Officer of Community Relations Department Mr Joe Tam Kwok-chu. The delegation will return to Hong Kong today.