ICAC Survey: Record 99.2% of Hong Kong Residents Report No Direct Corruption Encounter
On.cc · 5 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) released its 2025 annual public opinion survey results on October 15, revealing that 99.2 percent of respondents had not personally encountered corruption in the past year—the highest percentage since such surveys began . The survey, conducted via home visits to approximately 1,500 residents by an independent research institution between March and May, found that Hong Kong citizens maintain a firmly zero-tolerance attitude toward corruption, with an average tolerance score of just 0.3 out of 10 . The ICAC stated that the results demonstrate the clean culture has taken root in Hong Kong and become a core value among citizens . The survey also revealed that while 80.9 percent of respondents expressed willingness to report corruption, nearly 80 percent of those who did encounter corruption chose not to report it, primarily due to concerns about impacts on their employment .
Key Points
- The ICAC commissioned an independent research institution to conduct home visits to 1,543 residents from March to May 2026, with results released on October 15
- A record 99.2 percent of respondents reported no direct encounters with corruption in the past 12 months, up from previous surveys
- Among the 0.6 percent who experienced corruption, 77.8 percent chose not to report it to authorities, mainly due to fear of affecting their jobs
- Residents showed zero-tolerance toward corruption with an average score of 0.3 out of 10, and 90 percent gave a perfect 0 score for tolerance
- Nearly 98 percent of respondents (97.9 percent) said social integrity is important for Hong Kong's overall development
Why It Matters
The survey results underscore Hong Kong's success in building a clean society over nearly five decades since the ICAC's establishment, with overwhelming public support for anti-corruption efforts . However, the finding that nearly 80 percent of corruption victims do not report incidents—primarily due to workplace concerns—highlights an ongoing challenge in encouraging citizens to come forward despite widespread opposition to corruption . This data will help the ICAC formulate more effective anti-corruption strategies through its three-pronged approach of enforcement, prevention, and education .
The survey results underscore Hong Kong's success in building a clean society over nearly five decades since the ICAC's establishment, with overwhelming public support for anti-corruption efforts . However, the finding that nearly 80 percent of corruption victims do not report incidents—primarily due to workplace concerns—highlights an ongoing challenge in encouraging citizens to come forward despite widespread opposition to corruption . This data will help the ICAC formulate more effective anti-corruption strategies through its three-pronged approach of enforcement, prevention, and education .