TNAG-0260-FCO40-296-Legislation-for-prevention-of-bribery-in-Hong-Kong-1970 — Page 229

Mr.

(away)

Wilford

Sir L. Monson

CONFIDENTIAL

HONG KONG

Draft Prevention of Bribery Bill

2

呢

Problem

The Governor is seeking Foreign and Commonwealth Office

approval for the terms of a draft Prevention of Bribery Bill that

he wishes to have introduced into the Hong Kong Legislative Council

as soon as possible.

2. The draft Bill, which proposes some stringent measures for dealing with the problem of corruption, contains certain provisions over which there is a difference of opinion as between the Governor

and his advisers on the one hand and the department and its legal

advisers on the other hand,

Recommendation

3. I recommend that, unless Minis ters first wish to have the views of the Law Officers, (see paragraph 32) the Governor be

addressed in the terms of the attached draft saving despatch.

Background

4. Much has been said over the years on the subject of corruption

in Hong Kong. Government departments, and in particular the Royal Hong Kong Police Force, have frequently been the target for

allegations on the subject. Usually such allegations are based on

little more than assumption and rumour or on sources of information

that the complainants have been unwilling to reveal.

5.

According to the Annual Report of the Commissioner of Police in Hong Kong for the year 1968-69 (the latest available Report), a total of 429 allegations of corruption were received during the

year. Of this total :

192 allegations were directed at police officers.

207 allegations were directed at other Government deparrments.

30 allegations were directed at members of the public.

At the end of the year, investigations into 140 of these allegations had been dropped (for lack of information) and 289 cases were still

CONFIDENTIAL

/ under