Hong Kong anti-graft agency says ‘no signs’ of collective corruption among civil service

Civil Service Bureau also fends off grilling from lawmakers on anti-graft efforts, days after ICAC arrests government staff in bribery case

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The Independent Commission Against Corruption earlier revealed government employees were among eight suspects arrested in a bribery case. Photo: Jelly Tse

Published: 7:24pm, 15 Jul 2024Updated: 7:44pm, 15 Jul 2024

There are “no signs” of collective corruption in Hong Kong’s civil service, the city’s anti-graft agency has said, following the arrest of several government employees in a bribery case involving procurement projects for public hospitals.

The Civil Service Bureau also said on Monday that it logged a year-on-year 20 per cent decrease in pursuable corruption complaints in 2023, with only 42 cases involving its 170,000-strong force leading to related convictions between 2019 and 2023.

The bureau shared the figures in a bid to reassure lawmakers at a panel meeting discussing anti-graft efforts, days after the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) revealed that government employees were among eight people arrested in the bribery case.

The suspects included members of the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department.

Corinna Wong, the commission’s community relations director, said its own data found there was no indication of collective corruption in the civil service.

“The data also show no signs of resurgence [of collective corruption]. So everyone can be rest assured regarding the integrity of public servants,” she said.

According to the paper submitted by the bureau to the Legislative Council, the agency received 298 pursuable corruption complaints last year, a 20 per cent decrease from the 372 logged in 2022.