專員隨筆
Commissioner Online

Concentration, Faith and Persistence

As we welcome the Year of the Tiger and the beginning of spring, I would like to take this opportunity to wish you good health and prosperity.

The outbreak of the fifth wave of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic has to be on top of everyone's agenda. The very high transmissibility of the mutant strain Omicron has brought about a continuous surge in the number of cases. The pandemic situation is worrying.

The pandemic has been going on for over two years. While the COVID-19 disease is still raging, the Hong Kong Government and members of the public are all in this together. From tracing cases, isolation arrangements, medication, infection control, vaccination and testing for citizens, providing various epidemic-related information as well as providing comprehensive support to the affected communities, anti-epidemic staff stand fast to their respective roles, keeping a strong faith in contributing to the fight against the virus. This spirit is similar to the commitment of the ICAC to Hong Kong's anti-graft work.

As part of the HKSAR Government, the ICAC is obligated, and honoured, to assist in the battle against the pandemic. Last Thursday, in response to the urgent appeal of the Civil Service Bureau, about 100 ICAC colleagues have been deployed to support the Government's anti-epidemic support centre. The swift mobilisation fully reflects the ICAC's efficiency, professionalism, strong resilience and team spirit.

Hong Kong is facing a dire epidemic situation and everyone has a role to play in battling against the virus. At the same time, corruption crime is like the ever-mutating virus and combating graft is a constant battle similar to the fight against the epidemic. Corruption is an insidious crime and the modus operandi of criminals is also constantly changing like "virus mutation", making investigative work difficult. Where corruption happens on a large scale and involves sophisticated modus operandi, investigation is even more onerous. Notwithstanding the challenges, ICAC officers, like epidemic fighters, remain steadfast and committed to their job. They conduct every investigation impartially and in accordance with the law, regardless of the nature of the case, the identity, social status and background of the persons involved.

Moreover, the job of epidemic fighters who assist in COVID-19 prevention and vaccination, and those who keep the community updated on pandemic information are similar to that of the ICAC's Corruption Prevention Department (CPD) and Community Relations Department (CRD). Colleagues from CPD and CRD help avoid the invasion of corruption crime through systemic prevention and enhance the community's awareness of the evils of corruption through comprehensive public education. We firmly believe fighting the pandemic and fighting corruption share the same spirit. When we all work together towards the same goal, with cooperation and support from the public, Hong Kong will eventually win the battle against the virus and normal daily lives will resume.

Coincidentally, the newly-launched ICAC Announcement in Public Interest (API) is themed on the spirit and core values of ICAC officers - concentration, faith and persistence. Using the expertise of three professionals – pianist, calligrapher and fencing athlete as an analogy, the API highlights the unwavering commitment of the ICAC to safeguarding a clean and fair Hong Kong since its inception in 1974.

Achievements and Aspirations

Tomorrow (February 15) marks the 48th anniversary of the establishment of the ICAC. The Commission's anti-corruption work in the past 48 years has earned not only public support, but also praises and recognitions from the international community as Hong Kong achieved splendid scores in various international surveys. In the World Competitiveness Yearbook 2021 issued by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD), Hong Kong was ranked the 7th most competitive among 64 countries/territories. In one of the criteria "Bribery and corruption do not exist", Hong Kong was ranked the 8th, four places up from 2020. Meanwhile, in the Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index 2021, Hong Kong was ranked the 12th cleanest among 180 countries/territories surveyed, and the 2nd cleanest place in Asia. The city is continuously acclaimed as one of the cleanest places in the world.

It has been almost 10 years since I was appointed ICAC Commissioner. Throughout these years, my colleagues and I strived to keep international ranking organizations updated on the latest work of the ICAC and Hong Kong's probity situation. We also vigorously shared our successful graft-fighting experience to anti-corruption agencies of many countries and places. Last month, with the endorsement of the Central People's Government and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, I was elected President of the International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities (IAACA). I will lead the ICAC in stepping up exchanges with global anti-graft counterparts and cooperation among IAACA members.

While the ICAC has opened up a new frontier in the international anti-graft arena with an important leading role, we can assure the public that the Commission will not neglect local anti-corruption work. Our robust law enforcement, systemic prevention and community education in the past 40-odd years affirm the efforts and achievements of former and serving ICAC officers. Moving forward, the ICAC will remain faithful to the anti-corruption cause. We will do our utmost to safeguard the probity culture in Hong Kong through the time-tested three-prong anti-graft strategy, while at the same time be sure to equip ourselves to meet the demands of the changing world, just as we promise in our API: Stand firm against corruption. The mission continues.