Wednesday, October 17, 1973
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Sir Murray said the intention was that the independence of the Commissioner for Anti-Corruption should be established by his position being apart from the civil service in the same way as that of a judge. He would have access to the Governor at any time. "I need scarcely say that I will
take a very close personal interest in the development of this commission."
The Commissioner will have under him an operations unit and a civil or
preventive section. The operations unit will in due course take over the
functions of the present Anti-Corruption Branch.
Its staff will be selected by the Commissioner for Anti-Corruption and his Director of Operations.
The main task of the civil unit will be to educate the public as to the
evils of corruption not only from the point of view of the receiver but also
from that of the giver. It will also critically examine administrative procedures which lend themselves to corrupt practices.
Sir Murray emphasised that the creation of an independent anti-corruption
body was not meant as a criticism of the Force.
He added, however: "I believe that it is quite wrong, in the special circumstances of Hong Kong, that the police, as a force, should carry the whole
responsibility for action in this difficult and elusive field."
In the past, he went on, this responsibility had carried with it for
many, the implication that the existence of corruption was the fault of the police.
"As we all know it is nothing of the sort. Outside the public service
it is a widespread problem, and inside it corruption exists in several departments of which the police is only one.
"Moreover, I think the situation calls for an organisation, led by men
of high rank and status, which can devote its whole time to the eradication
of this evil," Sir Murray said.
/A further
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