TNAG-0409-FCO40-455-Allegations-of-bribery-and-corruption-in-the-Hong-Kong-polic-1973 — Page 132

it is said that the attitude of many magistrates has been that it is unjust to pass high sentences on people who are only trying to eke out some sort of livelihood in extremely difficult situations and that it is up to the Executive Branch of Government to solve such "social" problems- presumably by legalising gambling, organizing a proper system of public transport, providing conditions such as would enable hawkers to trade without breaking the law and so on. Presumably, it has never been suggested that brothels and other vice- establishments (including those for the sale of narcotics) should be legalized. Be that as it may, it is said that the low fines imposed by the courts are regarded by many hawkers, keepers of gambling establishments, drug peddlers, etc. as nothing more than a small "overhead" to be taken into consideration in the running of their business. Indeed, it is alleged that in many instances the actual guilty parties do not even appear in court, but arrange with some “stooge” (for a suitable payment, of course) to stand in the dock of the court and admit to something for which he was not guilty at all. Many police officers, so it is said, have simply lost heart in their endeavour to deal with a number of "social" offences and have joined the ranks of those who "squeeze" the operators rather than take them to court.

97. Other factors said to contribute to "syndicated" corruption include the necessity for detectives to pay information money to their informants. It is well-known that the police would be unable to detect serious crime without information which usually comes from the criminal classes themselves or persons associating with criminals. Information money from official sources is said to be insufficient to pay-off these informers and the detectives and others are forced to "squeeze" the operators of vice-establishments, etc. to obtain extra funds. It is also said that corruption exists in connection with recommendations for promotion-so much to become a corporal, so much to become a sergeant and so on. Of course, if this is true, it necessarily involves senior officers because the promotion boards are composed of very senior officers.

98. It is said that Police corruption is, for the most part, "syndicated" and that corruption on an individual basis is frowned upon by the organizers of these “syndicates”—indeed anyone operating on his own is liable to be "fixed". The organizers are good psychologists. New arrivals in the Force are tested to see how strong is their sense of duty. The testing may take various forms-sums of money placed in their desks, etc. If an officer fails to report the first overture of this sort he is really "hooked" for the rest of his service, and is afraid to report any corrupt activities which may thereafter come to his notice.

99. On a number of occasions during this inquiry I have been told that there is a saying in Hong Kong:—

(1) "Get on the bus" i.e. if you wish to accept corruption, join us;

(2) "Run alongside the bus" i.e. if you do not wish to accept corruption, it matters not, but do not

interfere;

(3) "Never stand in front of the bus" i.e. if you try to report corruption, the "bus” will knock you down and you will be injured or even killed or your business will be ruined. We will get you, somehow.

100. The reaction of honest young police officers on hearing this kind of talk may well be imagined. They either join the "bus" or mind their own business. They may, so it is said, even accept payments but nevertheless continue to do their public duty as conscientious police officers. In other words, they are paid, but do nothing for it.

101. Apart from "syndicated" corruption, it is said that in departments other than the Police there is a great deal of corruption which involves only small groups of officers. One series of files which I perused related to extensive inquiries by the Anti-Corruption Office regarding entry permits, identity cards, false birth certificates and passports issued to a number of illegal immigrants. This involved small groups of officers in the Immigra- tion, and Registration of Persons Departments. The Anti-Corruption Office were fortunate in being able to infiltrate an agent into the Registration of Persons Department; and two persons were convicted and sentenced to 4 years imprisonment in 1971.

102. As regards the Labour Department, in Hong Kong there are a large number of factories which are either not registered, or fail to comply in some way with the numerous regulations applicable to factories. It is said (at any rate in the past) that a large number of such factories have paid as much as $500 per month for the privilege of being allowed to operate. Such payments, it is alleged, are made to members of the Labour Department, New Territories Administration, Public Works Department and so on. If, say, 10,000 factories each pay $500 per month, corrupt receipts from that sector alone would amount to $5 million per month!

103. There are allegations concerning the New Territories Administration-allegations that for substantial sums, clerks and land bailiffs pass on their knowledge of Government policy in regard to land utilization thereby enabling land speculators to buy agricultural land at ridiculously low prices well knowing that such land will shortly be converted to building land.

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