ICAC to fight crime on new level
ICAC to fight crime on new level
By Michael Wong
The newly appointed deputy commissioner of the ICAC, Tony Kwok Man-wai, has promised to fight corruption with "asophisticaated intelligence network and better liaison with international law enforcement agencies".
48-year-old career officer in the Independent Commission Against Corrruption (ICAC), previously the agency's director of investigation, pledged that ther would be no let-up in the battle against corruption.
"We've got to make sure we are on top of the corrupt and the criminal," Mr Kwok said.
"I want to continue with all the good changes we have made over the past two years and to continue to make the operations department more professional with better intelligence," he said.
Mr Kwok has been with the ICAC since its inception almost 22 years ago.
He said the battle was getting more sophisticated because criminals had cottoned onto ICAC tactics.
The advantage might be going towards the criminal too due to recent changes in the law, which forces the ICAC to be more open and circumspect.
The crooks were more adept now at setting up bogus accounts and front companies to launder their illegally gained money.
"This makes the investigation of corruption more difficult," Mr Kwok said.
However, ICAC's increased accountability had not necessarily made it easier for the criminals.
"Increased accountability will only make us think more thoroughly about our job, and become more professional. In some ways it benefits us more than the criminals."
Daniel Li Ming-chak replaces Mr Kwok, while former deputy commissioner Jim Buckle will announce his retirement date next week.
As the first ethnic Chinese in the position, Mr Kwok will be one of eight local directorate officers. Six others of a similar rank are expatriates. There were also 1,115 locals and 61 expatriates below the directorate rank in the department last year.
While he is the first local promoted to the highest professional rank in the department, the chances of being appointed commissiomer are slim.
"It is most unlikely because, according to tradition, which is a very good tradition, the commissioner is never appointed through internal promotion.
"I think there are good reasons for this and it should continue."
Michael Leung Man-kin was earlier this month appointed to head the ICAC, the first local Chinese to do so.
Mr Kwok also promised to continue the department's liaising with China.
"We already haave a good mutual assistance agreement with the People's Republic of China. We assist them in collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses in Hong Kong, and vice versa," he said.
Future plans to enhance cross-border co-operation include mutual referral of complaints and operational assistance on individual cases.
"I will, like many family men, celebrate (my promotion) with my wife and daughters at a dinner tonight," Mr Kwok said.