Independent Commission Against Corruption (Hong Kong)
| 廉政公署 | |
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| Commission overview | |
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| Formed | 15 February 1974 |
| Headquarters | ICAC Building, 303 Java Road, North Point, Hong Kong |
| Employees | 1,213 (June 2007) |
| Annual budget | HK$756.9 million (2008–2009) |
| Commission executives |
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| Website | www |
| Independent Commission Against Corruption | |||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 廉政公署 | ||||||||
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| Pre-handover Name | |||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 總督特派廉政專員公署 | ||||||||
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| Transcriptions | |
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| Yue: Cantonese | |
| Yale Romanization | Lìhm jing gūng chyúh |
| Jyutping | Lim4 zing3 gung1 cyu5 |
| Transcriptions | |
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| Yue: Cantonese | |
| Yale Romanization | Júng dūk dahk paai lìhm jing jyūn yùhn gūng chyúh |
| Jyutping | Zung2 duk1 dak6 paai3 lim4 zing3 zyun1 jyun4 gung1 cyu5 |
The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC; Chinese: 廉政公署; previously known as the 總督特派廉政專員公署 before 1997) of Hong Kong was established by Governor Sir Murray MacLehose on 15 February 1974, when Hong Kong was under British rule. Its main aim was to clean up endemic corruption in the many departments of the Hong Kong Government through law enforcement, prevention and community education.
The ICAC is independent of the Hong Kong Civil Service. The Basic Law of Hong Kong stipulates that the ICAC shall function independently and be directly accountable to the Chief Executive of Hong Kong. Previous to the transfer of sovereignty in 1997, ICAC reported directly to the Governor of Hong Kong, and appointments to the ICAC were also made directly by his office.
The ICAC is headed by a Commissioner. Since 1997, the Commissioner of the ICAC has been appointed by the State Council of the People's Republic of China, based on the recommendations of the Chief Executive of Hong Kong.
As Hong Kong recovered after WWII, the population began to swell and manufacturing industries grew. By the 1960s Hong Kong was experiencing economic growth, yet the government kept Civil Service salaries very low. Officials in all departments took advantage of their positions to supplement their wages with demands for "tea money", "lucky money" or substantially larger sums. Examples of corruption ranged from nursing sisters demanding money to provide services such as extra blankets, food or to allow visitors outside normal hours; firemen lived by the saying, "Mo chin mo sui" ("No money, no water") and sometimes asked for money to turn off the water, preventing water damage, once a fire had been put out; officials in Lands and Public Works departments secured huge sums of money for "advice" and "signatures" that procured the award of tenders and enabled developments and projects to proceed; the Royal Hong Kong Police organised entire stations to "make money" from hawkers, licenses, and in many other illicit schemes. Civil servants often had to pay for promotions and postings in positions known for a lucrative return.
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