Commissioner of the Independent Commission Against Corruption | |
---|---|
Incumbent Woo Ying-ming since 1 July 2022 | |
Style | The Honourable |
Appointer | Central People's Government (via nomination by the Chief Executive) |
Inaugural holder | Sir Jack Cater |
Formation | 15 February 1974 |
Website | ICAC |
The Commissioner of the Independent Commission Against Corruption heads the body that is responsible for investigating corruption in both the public and private realms in Hong Kong. The ICAC was created in 1974 to deal with the corruption then endemic in Hong Kong's government departments and disciplined services.
List of office holders
All ICAC commissioners have been appointed from the ranks of Hong Kong's civil service or, prior to 1997, from among colonial officials.[1][2]
No. | Name | Took office | Left office | Tenure |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Sir Jack Cater | 15 February 1974 | 3 July 1978 | 4 years and 139 days |
2 | Sir Donald Luddington | 4 July 1978 | 10 November 1980 | 2 years and 130 days |
3 | Peter Williams | 11 November 1980 | 31 December 1984 | 4 years and 51 days |
4 | Geoffrey Barnes | 1 January 1985 | 28 February 1988 | 3 years and 59 days |
5 | David Jeaffreson | 29 February 1988 | 30 November 1991 | 3 years and 276 days |
6 | Peter Allan | 1 December 1991 | 28 November 1992 | 364 days (died in office) |
7 | Bertrand de Speville | 22 February 1993 | 21 January 1996 | 2 years and 334 days |
8 | Michael Leung Man-kin | 22 January 1996 | 31 March 1997 | 1 year and 69 days |
9 | Lily Yam Kwan Pui-ying | 1 April 1997 | 11 July 1999 | 2 years and 102 days |
10 | Alan Lai Nin | 15 July 1999 | 30 June 2002 | 4 years and 351 days |
11 | Ambrose Lee Siu-kwong | 1 July 2002 | 4 August 2003 | 1 year and 35 days |
12 | Raymond Wong Hung-chiu | 25 August 2003 | 30 October 2006 | 3 years and 67 days |
13 | Fanny Law Fan Chiu-fun | 30 October 2006 | 30 June 2007 | 244 days |
14 | Timothy Tong Hin-ming | 1 July 2007 | 30 June 2012 | 5 years and 0 days |
15 | Simon Peh Yun-lu | 1 July 2012 | 30 June 2022 | 10 years and 0 days |
16 | Woo Ying-ming | 1 July 2022 | Incumbent | 1 year and 181 days |
Appointment controversies
In October 2006, the appointment of Fanny Law as ICAC Commissioner was not well received. The unpopular Permanent Secretary for Education and Manpower was seen as weak on security-related issues. In addition, as Law's and Raymond Wong's appointments were a direct swap, the government was derided by the Civic Party and Liberal Party for belittling an important position by playing "musical chairs". Law was not perceived to be at the end of her civil service career, when the post of Commissioner was traditionally a 'final' posting, allowing the official to work without fear or favour.[3]
References
- โ Commissioners of the ICAC, Partnering for Probity, p65, ICAC
- โ Commissioners of ICAC, p130, 40 Years in the Operations Department, ICAC
- โ Albert Wong (1 November 2006). "Law ICAC chief after swap". The Standard. Archived from the original on 22 May 2011. Retrieved 31 July 2008.