Follow Hong Kong Immigration and Hong Kong Life: According to the Hong Kong newspaper "Ta Kung Pao", many high-ranking officials and celebrities in Hong Kong have recently been exposed for corruption. Former Commissioner of the Independent Commission Against Corruption, Timothy Tong, was revealed by an audit report to have violated regulations regarding hospitality, gifts, and overseas visits. The Assistant Director of the Community Relations Department of the ICAC, Ho Wai-chi, stated that the recent series of revelations and the recommendations from the audit report are part of the social oversight of the ICAC. The ICAC will "learn from experience" to improve institutional shortcomings and restore public confidence in the commission.
Ho Wai-chi stated that the overall corruption situation in Hong Kong has not worsened; rather, there has been more media coverage of cases involving well-known individuals, leading to a perception that corruption in Hong Kong has increased. However, he believes that the public should have confidence in the integrity of Hong Kong, which is not solely dependent on the ICAC.
He also mentioned that the criticisms faced by the ICAC over the past six months and the recommendations from the audit report are part of the social oversight process, and the ICAC will take public criticism seriously. Looking ahead, Ho Wai-chi said that the current Commissioner, Simon Peh, has repeatedly emphasized the need to improve the ICAC's systems and has already implemented several improvement measures, "learning from experience" and "humbly accepting public criticism". He understands that public confidence in the ICAC has been shaken and that it is necessary to restore public trust while all colleagues remain committed to their duties.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the ICAC, which will launch a series of promotional activities to enhance public awareness of anti-corruption and integrity. The first initiative is a new promotional advertisement released today, themed "Diverse Developments, Unified Aspirations. For the Next Generation, Building a Clean Future Together". The advertisement features over a dozen adorable babies as protagonists, symbolizing that each baby will have different developments in the future, requiring society to provide a fair and clean environment for their healthy growth.