ENG-2012 — Page 334

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Public Order

setter, and is a founding member of the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering. The Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau co-ordinates the overall AML/CFT policies, while the ND is responsible for implementing a system to detect cross-border transportation of currency and bearer negotiable instruments, as well as the formulation of customer due diligence and record-keeping requirements in respect of the designated non-financial businesses and professions, including lawyers, accountants, estate agents, trust and company service providers and dealers in precious metals and precious stones.

Independent Commission Against Corruption

In 2012, Hong Kong upheld its reputation as one of the world's most corruption-free places, with a clean civil service and a level playing field for businesses. The Heritage Foundation, a public policy research institute, commended the city for its 'minimum tolerance for corruption' and 'effective anti-corruption measures. The foundation and Transparency International, a global non-governmental organisation dedicated to fighting corruption, respectively ranked Hong Kong the 12th and 14th least corrupt place in their worldwide surveys.

Through a holistic strategy of enforcement, prevention and education, corruption is kept well under control. The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) continues to fight corruption impartially and effectively. Its independent status is guaranteed under the Basic Law. Nearly 99 per cent of respondents to an annual opinion survey expressed support for the ICAC, and 74 per cent of complainants revealed their identities, reflecting strong public confidence in the commission.

In 2012, the ICAC received 3,932 corruption complaints (excluding election-related complaints), a decrease of 2 per cent from 2011. Among these complaints, 62 per cent concerned the private sector while government departments and public bodies respectively took up 31 and 7 per cent.

In May, more than 500 delegates from over 50 jurisdictions and international organisations participated in the fifth ICAC Symposium, 'Old Challenge, New Approach - Fighting Corruption in a Changing World'

Enforcement

The commission continues to enforce the law without fear or prejudice. At year's end, 2,470 cases, including 819 relating to elections, were under investigation. In 2012, 245 people were prosecuted and 27 were cautioned for minor offences on the advice of the Department of Justice. Of the completed prosecutions, 84 per cent resulted in convictions.

The commission instigated a number of prosecutions of major public interest, including cases involving alleged corruption and misconduct by former senior government officers and complex commercial frauds facilitated by corruption.

The large number of election-related complaints continued to strain operational resources and a special task force was set up to look into vote-rigging allegations. A majority of the 2,413 election-related complaints received in 2012 concerned the 2011 District Council election, in relation to which 45 persons were convicted of vote-rigging and other malpractices.

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