Hong Kong anti-graft commissioner defends its independence following weeks of top-level staffing turmoil.
 |
| Simon Peh seeks to reassure public after departure of first female director of operations and subsequent personnel shocks. |
Hong Kong’s most senior anti-graft official has rejected claims that turmoil at the top of the agency he heads is a signal that its independence and ability to withstand interference are under threat.
In his first extensive response after weeks of internal discord, Independent Commission Against CorruptionCommissioner Simon Peh Yun-lu on Tuesday night moved to reassure the public that the fight against graft was safe in the organisation’s hands and its independence remained intact.
The top-level intervention follows weeks of turmoil in the agency’s powerful investigative arm, the Operations Department.
A period of unprecedented strife began last month with the departure of the ICAC’s first female head of operations, Rebecca Li Bo-lan, amid unconfirmed allegations over soft-peddling on a probe into Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying and bitter personality clashes in the organisation.
Li’s departure was followed by a staffing reshuffle which bordered on the farcical and hit morale within the internationally respected agency.
PUBLISHED : Tuesday, 23 August, 2016, 10:02pm
UPDATED : Tuesday, 23 August, 2016, 11:22p
No comments:
Post a Comment