Survey finds corruption uncommon in HK, but vigilance remains

Hong Kong people continue to display a high state of vigilance against graft although the majority does not think corruption is common in Hong Kong, a latest annual survey said Monday.

The survey, commissioned to a professional research consultant, polled 1,503 citizens through random sampling in October last year and the results were released on Monday by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), Hong Kong's popular anti- corruption body.

On a 0-10 point scale (with 0 representing total rejection and 10 total tolerance), the average scores for public tolerance of corruption in both the civil service and the business sector hit 0. 8 percent and 1.6 percent respectively, both record low, according to the survey.

In the opinion survey, up to 67.6 percent of respondents thought that corruption was uncommon in Hong Kong, the highest percentage recorded since 2002.

Meanwhile, only an extremely low percentage of respondents - 3.2 percent - said they had actually come across corruption in the past year.

Looking ahead, 75.6 percent believed corruption would decrease or remain steady in the next 12 months. Only 16.8 percent held an opposite view - a lowest percentage in the past four years.

The survey also finds the ICAC continued to enjoy strong public support with an overwhelming majority or 98.9 percent saying that the anti-corruption agency deserved their support.

This strong sense of public trust was echoed in other areas with 65.3 percent indicating their willingness to report corruption, while 70.7 percent were ready to identify themselves in doing so.

Furthermore, 88.6 percent believed the ICAC was keeping reports it received confidential while 72.6 percent thought it would be impartial in its investigations.

On the anti-corruption body's overall performance, 67.9 percent of respondents considered the ICAC very effective or effective.

"To sustain the public's confidence in the ICAC, we will uphold our pledge to crack down on corruption vigorously and impartially, " an ICAC spokesman said, adding," Irrespective of the profession or sector and the background of the suspect involved, all cases will be pursued without fear or favor, and in accordance with the laws."

Set up in 1974, the ICAC has adopted a three-pronged approach of investigation, prevention and education to fight corruption, thus helping Hong Kong become one of the least corrupt places in the world.

Source: Xinhua