Public Order | 321
the European Commission as the co-host, the event attracted more than 300 delegates from 39 jurisdictions and international organisations, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Iceland, Singapore, Japan, Transparency International, the European Investment Bank and Asian Development Bank.
In 2009, the ICAC set up a Centre of Anti-Corruption Studies, the first of its kind in Hong Kong and neighbouring regions, to facilitate in-depth research on anti- corruption, corporate governance and integrity issues by law enforcement agencies and academics worldwide.
Corruption Situation
The corruption situation in Hong Kong remained stable in 2009. The ICAC received 3 450 corruption reports (excluding election-related complaints), representing a 2 per cent increase from 2008. Among these reports, 63 per cent or 2 183 reports involved the private sector, 31 per cent or 1 061 reports concerned government departments while the remaining 6 per cent or 206 reports were against public bodies. The number of pursuable reports decreased by 3 per cent to 2 530.
During the year, the ICAC received a total of 221 election-related complaints, most of which alleged minor, technical breaches of the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance.
Enforcement
The Operations Department investigates every pursuable report of corruption. It also adopts a proactive strategy to unearth unreported corruption by continually enhancing its intelligence gathering and analysis capability. The operational work is conducted under the strict supervision of the Commissioner on Interception of Communications and Surveillance.
Major investigations conducted during the year included misconduct in public office and acceptance of unauthorised loans involving public servants; corruption- facilitated fraud involving company listing, bank loans and insurance claims; and illegal kickbacks in the catering industry.
At year's end, the ICAC's case-load stood at 1 792, including 149 election- related cases. The increased complexity of cases, the prolonged period of trials and the rapidly evolving legal environment have posed challenges to investigative work. Notwithstanding these challenges, prosecutions were brought against 342 persons for corruption and related offences while 54 were cautioned for minor offences on the advice of the Department of Justice. The case-based conviction rate was 85 per cent.
Prevention
The Corruption Prevention Department helps government departments and public bodies minimise corruption risks by examining their procedures and practices and recommending measures to plug identified loopholes. It also helps private organisations consolidate good governance through its free advisory services.
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