25
to harming the interests of investors Against Corruption (ICAC) has had
and affecting fair competition, hurts wide powers to tackle graft in both the
consumers, eventually undermining the public and private sectors since it was
public interest,” he said. created in 1974.
“Moreover, corruption in the private “We work in partnership with the
sector can influence and create condi- private sector regarding our education
tions conducive to corrupt practices activities. If we treat them as our ene-
within the public administration,” Chui mies we cannot go forward in our pre-
added. He believes the approval of the ventative education campaigns,” said
new law underscores the public’s com- director of community relations depart-
mitment to fighting corruption. ment of Hong Kong’s ICAC, Julie Mu
The move is also being seen as a Fee Man.
way of enhancing Macau’s international Mu says cooperation between the
competitiveness. anti-graft commission and the private
CCAC Commissioner Vasco Fong sector is important in order to breed
Man Chong believes it will help at- mutual understanding: “In Hong Kong,
tract foreign investment as it sets new there are a lot of industries and we are
standards in line with best international not experts in every field. So we do not
practice. He says key areas like gaming, know on which area we should focus,”
banking and tourism suffer the most she said.
from private sector corruption. Meanwhile, to comply with its ex-
Previously, the body’s jurisdiction
Vasco Fong
tended powers, the CCAC is getting
only covered the public sector despite a ready for a makeover. Vasco Fong says
regular flow of complaints about graft
reached 75 percent, whileonly 7.65 per-
that the body’s organisational structure
in the private sector, said Fong. Histori-
cent opposed the move.
law is being revised to meet the new du-
cally, such complaints have been related
A pivotal moment was the corrup-
ties and to improve efficiency.
to building management and private
tion scandal that engulfed disgraced
For now, there will be no additional
construction tenders, as well as insur-
Secretary for Transport and Public
hiring: “We have a special taskforce to
ance and banking activities.
Works, Ao Man Long because it showed
handle complaints and investigations in
that “bribery may be a common practice
this area. The recruiting of more staff is a
Is Macau corrupt?
within the private sector due to the fact
decision to be considered in the future de-
According to the annual report “Trend
that corruption was not criminalised”,
pending on the workload,” Fong said. The
of Corruption in Asia 2009” released by
the CCAC said.
special taskforce has around 30 people.
the Political and Economic Risk Con-
Anti-graft chiefs point out that it
sultancy, Macau ranked fourth among
will take time for the new law to bite,
A close call
14 countries and regions in Asia.
but they have a strategy on hand to make
The bill to extend the CCAC’s powers
Worldwide, Macau ranked 43rd
sure it does.
was unanimously approved by the Leg-
among over 180 countries and regions in islative Assembly in August 2009.
the “2009 Corruption Perception Index”,
C for cooperation
However, during its first reading,
released by Transparency International,
For now, the commission is focusing on
the proposal came under heavy-fire and
an non-governmental, anti-corruption
cooperation with the city’s main busi-
eventually 10 legislators abstained from
organisation.
ness sectors instead of launching large-
voting, with two others opposing the ex-
2008 research sponsored by the
scale private sector investigations. The
tension of powers. After a heated debate,
CCAC revealed that 13 percent of peo-
goal is to set up a code of ethics for each
the bill was “softened” in to secure law-
ple had come across corruption in the
area to provide businessmen with opera-
makers’ final approval.
private sector, a figure higher than the
tional guidelines.
Imprisonment penalties were re-
8 percent who had experiemced it the
“We will strengthen cooperation with
duced to less than half what was in the
public sector. The same poll found that
the private sector. It is very important that
initial proposal. Also, the bill’s article
support for the extension of the CCAC’s
the CCAC and the companies keep in
stating companies could also face penal-
powers into the private sector had
touch and cooperate,” stressed Fong.
ties if bribes were made on their behalf
Last year, the commission organ-
was dropped.
ised seminars on the new legislation for
Legislator and businessman Chui
a number of civil associations. Among
Sai Cheong - Chief Executive Chui Sai
them were the Macau Chinese Chamber
On’s brother - was among those who
The move is being see of Commerce, the Macau Federation of
voiced concern about the absence of a
as a way of enhancing Trade Unions, the Macau Association
mechanism to oversee the CCAC’s ac-
Macau’s international of Banks and the United Association
tivities. Local building contractor Fong
competitiveness of Goods and Beverage Merchants of
Chi Keong was harsher in his opposition
Macau.
to the bill, doubting whether corruption
This follows the Hong Kong mod-
was so serious in Macau.
el, where the Independent Commission
Time will tell if he was right.
March 2010
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