Wednesday, October 21, 1970
In the same way, statistics were not available to compare tho
incidence of bribery here with that of other countries in Asia, though the
popular belief was "certainly that Hong Kong's record was cleaner than that
of most of them."
Still corruption existed in the Colony to an extent that not only
justified, but also demanded, that utmost efforts be made to oradicate it
from public and business affairs.
"We are faced with a formidablo task. As society has become more
complex, and as the governmental machine has steadily encroached into fields
formorly loft unregulated, so have the opportunities for bribery increased,
Mr. Roberts said.
22
Traditional Belief
"Nor must we discount the formidable effect of the traditional
beliof, which is widespread in Asia among members of the public, that it is
customary, and not even particularly objectionable, to pay money to a public
servant, sometimes to securo a favour, sometimos merely to thank him for
doing no more than his ordinary duty.'
#
He reminded those who talked of corruption "as if it were always
the fault of the public servant" that the willingness of members of the public
to pay bribos "must carry much of the responsibility for the present situation,'
and he noted in the last two years, there had been more convictions of members
of the public for corruption than members of the public service.
Those whose task it was to prevent, investigate, or prosecute corruption
had long considered the present law inadequate, because it conferred insufficient
powers of investigation and because it made the proof of offences "too difficult
and technical."
/Mr. Roberts