ABSTRACT

What the public thinks about corruption is critically important in devising an effective preventive strategy. Positive perceptions such as the belief that corruption is unacceptable and confidence in the effectiveness of controlling corruption provide public support for anti-corruption agencies (ACAs). Over the years, the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) in Hong Kong has approached the issue of changing perceptions of corruption successfully. Its publicity is more targeted and cost-effective than many other ACAs and has made a vital contribution to the Commission’s overall mission. The ICAC has succeeded in promoting the view that corruption is a social evil which has strongly detrimental effects on social and economic development; that anti-corruption policies should be based on zero-tolerance of corruption, whether it is in the public or private sectors; and that it is immaterial whether the corrupt are highly or lowly paid or whether the parties are bribe takers or bribe providers. The ICAC has also been successful in delivering the message to the public through its extensive liaison work in the community and with business that it is necessary to report corruption to enable the ICAC to deal with it in a timely and effective way.