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Wednesday, November 18, 1970
The Hon. G.M.B. Salmon said he shared the view of the Attorney
General that the great majority of public servants, both in the Government
and out of it, were honest men.
The traditional belief that it was not "necessarily objectionable"
to secure a favour from a public servant was accompanied by another fairly
common belief that those in a position to take bribes were sure to take them.
He described Hong Kong society as not as "rotten" as that but
rotten apples in a basket contaminated good apples, and corrupt men
contaminated good men- and for this reason he welcomed the Bill as an
effort to eradicate corruption at all levels.
Powers Of Investigation
The powers of investigation as detailed in clauses 13 and 14 were
severe, though he did not quarrel with them, and the Attorney General would
neither authorise such investigations nor decline to authorise them lightly.
"We need to go after not just the small fry giving or taking a few
bucks for a small favour, but to put into the net the big shots, whoever they
may be and wherever they are found, who we are told have made large suns
by bribery in past years," he said.
The Hon. Y.K. Kan, senior unofficial member, told the Council
all unofficial members supported the Bill "as a significant step forward in
the fight against corruption."
When the Bill reached committee stage, they would be proposing
certain amendments he did not think necessary to go into now.
/He called
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.