The Audit Commission's annual report has exposed loopholes in the internal regulations of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) concerning spending on banquets and gifts for official guests and duty visits by senior ICAC officials. The scandalous revelation raised considerable concern among local residents and prompted Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying to take immediate remedial action with the establishment of an independent review panel to examine and fix the flawed ICAC rules.

It is one of Hong Kong's core values to perform official duties honestly and diligently. And the ICAC has been credited for winning Hong Kong the distinction of an honest society. As an anti-corruption agency the ICAC must observe a set of strict rules to ensure its own honesty in addition to self-discipline by individual officials. Rules are more important than self-discipline. The independent review panel should help perfect the ICAC's disciplinary system and rebuild its public reputation.

News about over-spending on banquets, gifts and duty visits by former commissioner Timothy Tong Hin-ming has triggered public concern. Leung responded immediately with the establishment of the Independent Review Committee on ICAC's Regulatory Systems and Procedures for Handling Official Entertainment, Gifts and Duty Visits. It is hoped that the Review Committee will find and plug all the loopholes in the regulatory systems of the ICAC to prevent any repeat of the past mistakes and reinforce its honest and clean image. This move demonstrates the considerable importance the CE attaches to securing the ICAC's regulatory systems and protecting Hong Kong's core values.

The ICAC has been credited for winning Hong Kong the reputation as an honest society over the past 39 years. That is why local residents hold it in high regard and expect a lot from it in terms of self-discipline, as well as showing senior government officials the ropes. Thanks mainly to the ICAC it is not only part of Hong Kong's core values but also of the city's competitive strengths that civil servants generally perform official duties honestly and diligently.

This is an excerpted translation of a Wen Wei Po editorial published on May 3.

(HK Edition 05/04/2013 page4)