Public Order | 317
willingness to report corruption, while 74 per cent of complainants provided their names when lodging reports about graft in 2008.
The ICAC has been helping enterprises to strengthen their corporate governance and corruption prevention measures in light of the global financial crisis. A conference on corporate governance was held jointly with the Mainland's Ministry of Supervision and the Commission Against Corruption of Macao in December for listed companies. It was well attended.
Corruption Situation
In 2008, corruption reports received by the ICAC recorded a drop of six per cent. Among the 3 377 corruption complaints (excluding election-related complaints) received, 65 per cent concerned the private sector. Complaints against government departments totalled 28 per cent while the remaining seven per cent was against public bodies.
Complaints related to public elections, including the Legislative Council Election, District Council and Village Representative By-elections, totalled 753 in 2008. These were mostly minor complaints and allegations of technical breaches of the Elections. (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance.
Enforcement
The Operations Department investigates all pursuable reports of corruption. Its investigative strategy is reinforced by a strong intelligence gathering machinery.
Cases involving the public sector were mainly about individual public servant's misconduct and allegations of irregularities in Government procurement of goods and services.
Allegations of private sector corruption ranged from improprieties in company listings, fraudulent insurance claims, bank loan frauds to kickback scams in the catering industry.
At year's end, the ICAC was investigating 2 230 cases of alleged corruption and malpractices, including 711 about public elections. During the year, graft-fighters faced tough challenges in tackling increasingly complex cases, resulting in protracted inquiries and lengthy trials. However, the challenges did not hamper the commission's effectiveness in combating corruption. A total of 357 people were prosecuted for corruption and related offences in 2008, while 54 who committed minor offences were cautioned. Eighty-five per cent of cases brought before the courts by the ICAC resulted in convictions.
Prevention
The Corruption Prevention Department helps government departments and public bodies minimise their corruption risks by examining meticulously their systems and procedures, identifying corruption loopholes and recommending ways to prevent corruption.
The department gives priority to problems revealed in investigations and issues of public concern. During the year, the department carried out 88 corruption