Anti-graft watchdog in HK gets rapped for lavish spending

HONG KONG'S reputable graft-buster, the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), has come under heavy fire for tarnishing the city's reputation "as a place of probity" and its own standing as an anti-corruption watchdog.

After a six-month inquiry, a Legislative Council committee on Wednesday censured the body and its former ICAC chief Timothy Tong for what it called "deplorable" overspending on entertainment and trips during his five-year tenure from 2007 to last year, breaching government rules.

In particular, it expressed alarm over the amounts of moutai, a Chinese hard liquor, served during official functions.

"Not only had such serving of moutai increased the costs of the meals, official business of the ICAC, which might be confidential in nature, could also be divulged under the influence of alcohol," said Mr Abraham Shek, who chairs the public accounts committee.

Its report has no legal teeth, but the findings may be used for an ongoing criminal investigation into Mr Tong for bribery, conducted by the ICAC itself, said law academic Eric Cheung.

Current ICAC commissioner Simon Peh yesterday said the commission would study the report, adding that those found guilty could face criminal prosecution or disciplinary action. "If any new inadequacies are identified, prompt actions will be taken to rectify the shortcomings," he promised.

In its 89-page report, the committee noted that the ICAC's entertainment expenses in Mr Tong's last year of tenure were nearly three times the amount in 2003 under his predecessor.

In particular, the amount of alcohol consumed under his tenure was "high", with 114 bottles of hard liquor bought in 2012/13. To get around spending limits, entertainment bills were split.

Mr Tong also authorised gifts "of a personal nature" such as scarves costing between HK$400 and HK$2,090 (S$65 and S$340).

The committee also questioned his use of official monies to host meals with mainland officials unrelated to anti-corruption efforts.

These include members of the Liaison Office in Hong Kong, and the Communist Party's United Front Work Department - who could have paved the way for him to be appointed a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the top advisory body, after his retirement from the ICAC. Some meals were attended by Mr Tong's girlfriend.

This, the committee said, might give rise to the perception that Mr Tong made use of his official capacity to build his own personal network.

Mr Tong has admitted to only poor administration.

Said Mr Shek: "The committee urges the ICAC to introduce more checks and balances, and to take steps to ensure that no attempts will be made by ICAC officers to circumvent or violate the ICAC's regulatory systems... to indulge the wishes and whims of their superiors."

The censure comes at a time when the ICAC, ironically, is advising the mainland authorities on anti-corruption measures. Hong Kong has ranked consistently high on anti-corruption indexes, with Transparency International's latest Corruption Perceptions Index putting it in 14th place among 176 countries.

Acknowledging the "immense public concern" that the case has roused, Mr Peh urged the public to keep faith with the ICAC, saying that it had strengthened internal controls following the initial revelations of Mr Tong's purported misconduct.

xueying@sph.com.sg

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