TNAG-1104-FCO40-1354-Allegations-of-corruption-against-the-police-in-Hong-Kong-1981 — Page 22

58 Oak Hill Road,

Sevenoaks,

Kent,

TH13 1NT

17th November 1981

Dear Mark

Thank you for your letter dated the 12th of November 1981. I am very glad to hear you will pursue this matter with the Hong Kong Office, the F.C.O. and the Chairman of the Hong Kong Backbench Committee in the House. It is kind of you to

take the trouble.

I give you my word that the comments made in my letters copied to you regarding the fact that the Folice themselves, realising some of the more obvious dangers, disclosed the corrup- tion scandals, is true. In fact I was responsible for this and was not exactly supported by my senior colleagues. There is

nothing the Hong Kong Government can say to refute this.

It will save everybody time, trouble and possible embarrassment if the Hong Kong Government were to publish a statement/letter along the lines suggested in my letter dated the 13th November which was copied to you.

May I also emphasize I do not desire any personal publicity. If a statement/letter were to refer to the senior officers of the Force taking the action in question then honour will have been satisfied.

Faradoxically whilst some U.K. police officers have been serving with the Independent Commission Against Corruption and one or two have been seconded to the Royal Hong Kong Folice in high appointments, it was the Sunday Times in this country which disclosed corruption in the metropolitan Folice. I doubt if any other Police Force in the world would have been as honest in the degree of disclosure as the R.H.K.P.

One needs a deep local knowledged to understand all the ramifications of corruption in Hong Kong - all I am seeking is a statement of the truth along the lines suggested in this