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Send to friendThe Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) employs tactics aimed at gaining public confidence and participation to fight corruption in Hong Kong. These tactics include corruption prevention, operations, preventive education, and enlisting the support from the public. ICAC was established as an anti-corruption organization totally independent from any department of the government and police. ICAC is committed to fight corruption with its approach of investigation, prevention, and education. It targets all areas where corruption might exist in order to prevent any loopholes. These areas are the governmental, public, and private sectors. ICAC emerged in February 1974. Corruption in Hong Kong had existed since the 1960s and 1970s. The people of Hong Kong had come to accept corruption in the police, government, and businesses with resignation and silence. They had lost faith in the government to take action against changing the corruption problem. ICAC was established as an independent commission to restore public trust and support for the government. Its commitment is to fight corruption with the support of the public.
The Independent Commission Against Corruption uses tactics that incorporate public involvement at every level. ICAC seeks to build trust with the community and create an ethical attitude among the public.
First, ICAC identifies areas that have or are prone to corruption. ICAC incorporates public involvement in this identification process by strongly relying on individuals to make complaints to the commission. To facilitate this process, ICAC has prevention hotlines, an internet website, and publications available to the public.
Second, ICAC relies on the complainants in its operations step as well. When ICAC receives a complaint, ICAC proceeds to interview the complainant regarding the details of the corruption. This process creates trust between the commission and the individual and enables the individual to see that ICAC is actually taking action.
Third, ICAC reaches out to the community by means of preventive education in the schools, communities, businesses, and government. ICAC aims at the root of corruption by reinforcing the need for every member of the community to observe the anti-corruption laws and by cultivating a community attitude which is highly intolerant of corruption. In this process, ICAC works collaboratively with the public towards changing their attitude from acceptance to rejection of corruption.
Fourth, ICAC works towards enlisting the support from the public. ICAC aims at gaining public confidence, trust, and involvement in combating corruption. ICAC publicizes its work by means of advertising packages, short programmes for television and radio, and holding activities in the communities. In doing so, ICAC is open and accountable to the public.
ICAC’s work has impacted the private, public, and government sectors with its tactics. For example, ICAC has provided corruption prevention advice to hundreds of private organizations, prosecuted hundreds of individuals for potential corruption, investigated thousands of pursuable corruption reports, reached thousands of individuals with its preventive education programmes, and most importantly, has increased the level of public support towards ending corruption and towards the ICAC itself.
In implementing this tactic in another context, it is crucial to consider the community as a central player in every step.
Completed June 11, 2003.
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