XN000022-1987-11-02 — Page 2

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1987

PERVASIVE CORRUPTION THREATENS STABILITY: SIR DAVID

PERVASIVE CORRUPTION IS AN EVIL THAT THREATENS THE FOUNDATIONS OF SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL STABILITY, THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON, SAID TODAY (MONDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE THIRD INTERNATIONAL ANTI-CORRUPTION CONFERENCE, SIR DAVID SAID NO SOCIETY COULD AFFORD TO BE COMPLACENT ABOUT CORRUPTION, ADDING THAT ATTACK ON CORRUPTION REQUIRED VERY POSITIVE GOVERNMENTAL SUPPORT AND A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY THAT CORRUPTION WOULD NOT BE TOLERATED.

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"A CIVIL SERVICE THAT IS NOT TAINTED BY CORRUPTION AND PRIVATE SECTOR WHERE MARKET FORCES ARE NOT DISTORTED BY CORRUPT PRACTICES ARE KEY PILLARS OF THE PROSPERITY AND STABILITY THAT WE CHERISH.

"IN HONG KONG WE ARE DETERMINED TO CONTINUE TO CHECK AND COUNTER CORRUPTION WHEREVER IT APPEARS,

WITH OUR EFFORTS

HE SAID.

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VERY HIGH INCREASE

DEGREE IN THE

SIR DAVID SAID THAT THE ICAC NOW ENJOYED A OF PUBLIC CONFIDENCE, AS ILLUSTRATED BY THE NON-ANONYMOUS REPORTS OF CORRUPTION FROM 35 PER CENT IN 1974 TO 65 PER CENT IN 1986.

THE RESULT WAS THE ELIMINATION OF SYNDICATED CORRUPTION IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE AND A REVERSAL OF PUBLIC ATTITUDES FROM PASSIVELY CONDONING TO ACTIVELY CONDEMNING CORRUPTION.

SIR DAVID ALSO POINTED OUT THAT CORRUPTION IN ITS VARIOUS FORMS HAD ALWAYS BEEN A WORLD-WIDE PROBLEM.

"AS WITH MANY OTHER FORMS OF CRIME, CORRUPTION NOW TRANSCENDS CITY, STATE AND NATIONAL BOUNDARIES.

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"INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION OF THE CORRUPT OFTEN REQUIRE HIGH DEGREE OF REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION BETWEEN DIFFERENT POLICE FORCES AND AGENCIES," HE NOTED.

SIR DAVID SAID THAT

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TODAY'S GATHERING REPRESENTED ANOTHER POSITIVE STEP FORWARD IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION AND HE SAW AS A NATURAL OUTCOME OF THE GROWING ROLE OF INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION,

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