TNAG-1012-FCO40-1262-Address-by-Sir-Murray-MacLehose--Governor-of-Hong-Kong--at-t-1981 — Page 55

39

Indepentent Commission Against Corruption

109.

་་

There has been an increase in the number of corruption.

reports being made to the I.C.A.C., and the Commission's intelligence

confirms that there is some increase. The Commission is well able to

deal with this as its prosecution record shows, and indeed the

figures may reflect little more than that the Commission is on its toes,

and that its sources have improved. Nevertheless the figures do

underline the fact that in the circumstances of Hong Kong, if we are

to keep the enormous gains in public honesty achieved since 1972, a

f.c.A.C

body such as the I.C.A.C. is essential and must be kept at full

strength and at full pitch for many years to come.

110.

The attitude to corruption of both public service and

public has completely changed; the acceptance of corruption as the

norm has gone, as have the massive syndicates and massive pay-offs of

the past. But we certainly still have some corruption at most

levels in both public and private sectors and constant vigilance will

be necessary to weed it out and prevent it poisoning our society again.

Education and prevention measures have a large part to play, but

neither 'will get far without the deterrent of a first class, large,

operational unit able to detect and charge the corrupt. This we have.

/111....