Fighting corruption: why Hong Kong was so successful
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Two letters in Wednesday's edition raised some very pertinent points on the subject regarding Thailand. Ray Archer detailed what should be the role of the media in combating corruption.
Unfortunately, unlike the UK press, there is very little investigative reporting here.
Songdej also alluded to using the digital world to name and shame the corrupt. Both also mentioned Singapore as a model. Hong Kong, also referred to, is a different story.
Sir Murray MacLehose was determined to eradicate corruption when he took over as governor of the British colony in the mid-1970s. Knowing how pervasive the problem was, he resorted to recruiting non-Hong Kong personnel to form the backbone of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC).
Most of these senior staff were retired British police officers with investigative experience. Junior staff were recruited from universities before being exposed to corrupt practices. Some local police, both local and expatriate, and considered “clean”, made up the organisation’s establishment.
It took a decade or two, along with a police mutiny and partial amnesty, but Hong Kong is now considered to be one of the least corrupt countries worldwide and often voted the easiest place to do business.
Of course Thailand will never allow aliens to come in and clean the place up but one weapon the ICAC had in its armoury was interrogating officials who were deemed to be “living above their means”, and this could and should be implemented much more here.
It’s simple. If some mid-level government official is living in a mansion then the onus is on him to explain how he funded such accommodation from his salary and other lawful income.
Failing to do so, then all possessions and bank deposits valued above his total career earnings are confiscated, followed by trial and possible imprisonment. No one likes to lose their possessions, even those acquired illegally.
As Archer said, it’s then up to the media to expose and publicise such criminals and penalties. The question remains – who can initiate and impose such an ongoing anti-corruption drive? Prime Minister Prayut, with his present powers, can do the job!
Anti-graft
Bangkok
