Graft situation remains stable despite slight rise in complaints
2017-1-11
Despite a slight increase in graft complaints in 2016, the corruption situation in Hong Kong remained stable and was well under control owing to the community’s determination in upholding the core value of integrity and graft fighters’ steadfast performance, said Mr Chow Chung-kong, Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Corruption (ACOC).
Speaking at a press conference today (January 11), Mr Chow said according to the 2016 ICAC Annual Survey, only 1.2% of respondents had come across corruption in the past 12 months, representing a 0.1 percentage point lower than the previous year.
In 2016, the ICAC received 2,891 corruption complaints, a slight rise of 3% compared to 2,803 complaints received in the previous year. Pursuable graft complaints increased slightly by 2% from 1,956 to 1,986.
Mr Chow said the pattern of corruption complaints received in 2016 remained consistent with that of recent years. Of those complaints, 63% concerned the private sector, while government departments and public bodies accounted for 29% and 8% respectively.
Noting that complaints related to building management still took up a large percentage of graft reports against the private sector, the ACOC Chairman concurred that the ICAC should attach great importance to the corruption situation in this sector.
Mr Chow noted that last year, the conviction and jailing of an engineering company proprietor, who offered $45 million in bribes to secure renovation contracts, sent a positive message to the public that the court would not tolerate corruption and heightened public awareness towards such malpractice in building renovation projects.
As regards the senior staff movements which gave rise to wide public concerns, Mr Chow said the ACOC, having fully understood the circumstances, considered that it was purely a matter concerning personnel arrangement which was made in accordance with regulations and procedures of the government and the ICAC.
Despite the staff reshuffle, ICAC officers, as always, had been steadfastly performing their duties to fight corruption with high morale and a high degree of professionalism, Mr Chow added.
Joining Mr Chow at the press conference were Miss Maria Tam Wai-chu, Chairman of the Operations Review Committee (ORC); Mr Albert Au Siu-cheung, Chairman of the Corruption Prevention Advisory Committee (CPAC); and Professor Timothy Tong Wai-cheung, Chairman of the Citizens Advisory Committee on Community Relations (CACCR).
Echoing Mr Chow’s views on the staff reshuffle, ORC Chairman Miss Tam said officers of the Operations Department took challenges in their stride and did not waver from their mission and standard in enforcing the law. They demonstrated perseverance and professionalism in discharging their duties and bringing offenders to justice.
On the enforcement front, Miss Tam noted that in 2016, a total of 197 persons in 109 cases were prosecuted for corruption and related offences (excluding election cases). With the conviction of 141 persons in 90 cases, the person-based and case-based conviction rates stood at 74% and 81% respectively.
Miss Tam said the ICAC received a total of 858 complaints under the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance in 2016. Of which, 809 were pursuable.
As at the end of December 2016, the ICAC had received a total of 163 complaints related to the 2016 Legislative Council Election and three reports concerning the Election Committee Subsector Elections. As regards the 2015 District Council Election, 1,093 complaints were received.
Meanwhile, CACCR Chairman Professor Tong told the press conference that the continuous education and publicity efforts of the Community Relations Department (CRD) to uphold the core value of integrity was well reflected in the findings of the 2016 ICAC Annual Survey as the public remained intolerant of corruption.
Using a 0 to 10 scale with 0 representing total rejection and 10 total tolerance of corruption, the latest annual survey revealed that the mean score was 0.7, close to a zero tolerance.
Almost all respondents (99.2%) considered that keeping Hong Kong corruption-free was important to the overall development of Hong Kong, and 96.2% of the respondents considered the ICAC deserving their support.
Professor Tong said the “All for Integrity” multi-year territory-wide programme launched by the CRD last year widely engaged citizens from different sectors and all walks of life in promoting integrity and consolidating Hong Kong’s probity awareness and public support for the ICAC.
Apart from a slogan and icon design competition, the programme also featured the ICAC’s participation in the Hong Kong Book Fair 2016, district projects with the 18 District Councils and a gala event on the theme of integrity. Altogether about 790,000 people were reached through those community activities.
Professor Tong announced that the CRD would launch a two-year “Youth Integrity Fest” programme to engage young people in reinforcing the core value of integrity and probity culture in society.
On the preventive front, CPAC Chairman Mr Au said the committee fully supported the Corruption Prevention Department’s (CPD) proactive and cross-public-private work approach to provide diversified corruption prevention services.
In 2016, the CPD, with the support of government bureaux and departments, promoted a corruption prevention guide to private organisations so as to enhance their operators’ understanding of the required integrity standard in handling business dealings with the government.
To safeguard proper use of public money and address issues of significant public interest, the CPD promulgated two best practice checklists in relation to the administration of government funding schemes, and introduced corruption prevention guides for administrators of various public-private partnership programmes for healthcare services.
Further to a sample code developed last year to enhance governance of kindergartens, the CPAC would support the CPD to explore with school sponsoring bodies the corruption prevention service required by kindergartens in 2017, Mr Au added.
Speaking at a press conference today (January 11), Mr Chow said according to the 2016 ICAC Annual Survey, only 1.2% of respondents had come across corruption in the past 12 months, representing a 0.1 percentage point lower than the previous year.
In 2016, the ICAC received 2,891 corruption complaints, a slight rise of 3% compared to 2,803 complaints received in the previous year. Pursuable graft complaints increased slightly by 2% from 1,956 to 1,986.
Mr Chow said the pattern of corruption complaints received in 2016 remained consistent with that of recent years. Of those complaints, 63% concerned the private sector, while government departments and public bodies accounted for 29% and 8% respectively.
Noting that complaints related to building management still took up a large percentage of graft reports against the private sector, the ACOC Chairman concurred that the ICAC should attach great importance to the corruption situation in this sector.
Mr Chow noted that last year, the conviction and jailing of an engineering company proprietor, who offered $45 million in bribes to secure renovation contracts, sent a positive message to the public that the court would not tolerate corruption and heightened public awareness towards such malpractice in building renovation projects.
As regards the senior staff movements which gave rise to wide public concerns, Mr Chow said the ACOC, having fully understood the circumstances, considered that it was purely a matter concerning personnel arrangement which was made in accordance with regulations and procedures of the government and the ICAC.
Despite the staff reshuffle, ICAC officers, as always, had been steadfastly performing their duties to fight corruption with high morale and a high degree of professionalism, Mr Chow added.
Joining Mr Chow at the press conference were Miss Maria Tam Wai-chu, Chairman of the Operations Review Committee (ORC); Mr Albert Au Siu-cheung, Chairman of the Corruption Prevention Advisory Committee (CPAC); and Professor Timothy Tong Wai-cheung, Chairman of the Citizens Advisory Committee on Community Relations (CACCR).
Echoing Mr Chow’s views on the staff reshuffle, ORC Chairman Miss Tam said officers of the Operations Department took challenges in their stride and did not waver from their mission and standard in enforcing the law. They demonstrated perseverance and professionalism in discharging their duties and bringing offenders to justice.
On the enforcement front, Miss Tam noted that in 2016, a total of 197 persons in 109 cases were prosecuted for corruption and related offences (excluding election cases). With the conviction of 141 persons in 90 cases, the person-based and case-based conviction rates stood at 74% and 81% respectively.
Miss Tam said the ICAC received a total of 858 complaints under the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance in 2016. Of which, 809 were pursuable.
As at the end of December 2016, the ICAC had received a total of 163 complaints related to the 2016 Legislative Council Election and three reports concerning the Election Committee Subsector Elections. As regards the 2015 District Council Election, 1,093 complaints were received.
Meanwhile, CACCR Chairman Professor Tong told the press conference that the continuous education and publicity efforts of the Community Relations Department (CRD) to uphold the core value of integrity was well reflected in the findings of the 2016 ICAC Annual Survey as the public remained intolerant of corruption.
Using a 0 to 10 scale with 0 representing total rejection and 10 total tolerance of corruption, the latest annual survey revealed that the mean score was 0.7, close to a zero tolerance.
Almost all respondents (99.2%) considered that keeping Hong Kong corruption-free was important to the overall development of Hong Kong, and 96.2% of the respondents considered the ICAC deserving their support.
Professor Tong said the “All for Integrity” multi-year territory-wide programme launched by the CRD last year widely engaged citizens from different sectors and all walks of life in promoting integrity and consolidating Hong Kong’s probity awareness and public support for the ICAC.
Apart from a slogan and icon design competition, the programme also featured the ICAC’s participation in the Hong Kong Book Fair 2016, district projects with the 18 District Councils and a gala event on the theme of integrity. Altogether about 790,000 people were reached through those community activities.
Professor Tong announced that the CRD would launch a two-year “Youth Integrity Fest” programme to engage young people in reinforcing the core value of integrity and probity culture in society.
On the preventive front, CPAC Chairman Mr Au said the committee fully supported the Corruption Prevention Department’s (CPD) proactive and cross-public-private work approach to provide diversified corruption prevention services.
In 2016, the CPD, with the support of government bureaux and departments, promoted a corruption prevention guide to private organisations so as to enhance their operators’ understanding of the required integrity standard in handling business dealings with the government.
To safeguard proper use of public money and address issues of significant public interest, the CPD promulgated two best practice checklists in relation to the administration of government funding schemes, and introduced corruption prevention guides for administrators of various public-private partnership programmes for healthcare services.
Further to a sample code developed last year to enhance governance of kindergartens, the CPAC would support the CPD to explore with school sponsoring bodies the corruption prevention service required by kindergartens in 2017, Mr Au added.