NOTE FOR THE FILE
AKK 382/2
RECEIVED IN REGSIKY MO. 51
-
8 MAY 1978
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
M
PA
REGISTRY
Action Taken
Loted
Moto E 4/5. 124
BU to Mr McLaren on
June 11978
INDEPENDENT COMMISSION AGAINST CORRUPTION: HONG KONG
1. During my recent visit to Hong Kong I visited the new head- quarters of the ICAC in Murray House, Hong Kong.
2. I was particularly interested in the detention block as the detention quarters in the old Hutchen House have been the subject of many complaints in the past. The new detention block is divided into two sections: one male and one female, and consists of a series of small cells, either for single Occupancy or for use by up to three detainees. A considerable amount of thought has clearly been given to the internal security of the block and all the communications and public centres (in the cells themselves) are monitored by closed-circuit television. The cells are clean, airy and adequately furnished with beds and tables which are screwed to the floor and light, but comfortable, plastic chairs. The windows are small and high in the outside walls but each of them has a good view of the peak area of Hong Kong Island. Each cell is fitted with an independent, battery-run digital clock (this obviously to forestall complaints of deliberate temporal disorientation). The bathroom and lavatory facilities were all clean, pleasant and hygienic, as is to be expected in a block which has as yet had hardly any use.
3. I recommend that Mr McLaren, on his first visit to Hong Kong, should visit the new headquarters and in addition he will probably find it useful to visit one or more of ICAC's sub- offices where most contact with the public is carried out.
4. In the course of my discussions with ICAC I was told that one of the major problems is that records kept by the police of postings of individual officers are, at the best, sketchy (I had complained that during the scrutiny of the various cases in the Yau Ma Tei syndicate I had been distressed by the failure of ICAC to check that officers accused of being concerned in the Yau Ma Tei corruption had actually been posted to the appropriate area at the appropriate times.
5. There was much distress at the judicial decision in the Wiang Tsi-sin case where the prosecution evidence, which had mostly come from accomplices, was dismissed as tainted evidence by the Judge. If this decision was taken as a precedent, it will be almost impossible to prosecute successfully corruption cases in the future as by their very nature they usually depend on Queen's evidence.
5 May 1978
Cc:
Mr Murray
Mr Rushford Mr Macoun
JA B Stewart
Hong Kong & General Dept