廉署拘29人涉馬會會籍貪污
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GS(14)@2010-11-19 21:29:13http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?art_id=105106&con_type=1
29 nabbed in club graft swoop
Staff reporter
Thursday, November 18, 2010
An alleged mastermind and three long-standing Jockey Club voting members were among 29 people arrested by graftbusters in connection with a scam involving membership.
The Independent Commission Against Corruption believes it has smashed the four-member syndicate, which has been "selling" the prestigious memberships for more than a year.
The arrests renewed concerns over the reliance on a small number of voting members in the membership nomination process.
The club said yesterday the system remains intact and that it will continue to be vigilant against any potential fraudulent activities.
The ICAC said yesterday the 29 people arrested included the mastermind, who is a club member, as well as three elderly voting members.
A source said they are in their 70s and 80s and have maintained low profiles.
The four allegedly conspired to solicit and accept bribes to expedite applications from would- be members.
During a year-long investigation, the graftbusters found that the "price" for each membership varied a great deal.
One could be be charged either HK$200,000 to HK$300,000 or HK$800,000 to HK$900,000.
"Through the assistance of middlemen, the mastermind had allegedly conspired with the voting members to accept bribes from applicants as rewards for supporting their applications for membership," an ICAC statement reads.
The others who have been arrested since Monday include a number of club members and applicants for membership.
Three of them are females, with the youngest aged between 20 and 30.
The source said the syndicate had, for the past one or two years, brought a number of people into the club. Investigators believe some other applications are still being processed.
"Like the mastermind, the three [voting members], who are in their 70s and 80s, have maintained a low-profile and they are not well- known figures," said the statement.
The graftbusters suspect the scheme has been operating for some time.
The club membership mechanism has been a long-standing problem, with many claiming it leads to abuse because only the 200 voting members can nominate full members. Last year, former club voting member John Hung was jailed for two years for soliciting and accepting HK$450,000 in bribes. His appeal bid was rejected in July.
The arrests came three weeks before Hong Kong hosts the Turf World Championships when the eyes of the racing world will be firmly fixed on the city.
The scandal will not sit well with visitors who have been presented a squeaky-clean image of Hong Kong racing.
The club refused to comment on the case, but defended the application mechanism.
It said stringent measures are in place to ensure the quality of its members and that the club will not tolerate fraud.
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GS(14)@2010-11-19 21:31:25http://www.icac.org.hk/tc/news_and_events/pr2/index_uid_1104.html
廉政公署發言人今日（星期三）回應傳媒查詢，證實拘捕二十九名人士，懷疑他們就香港賽馬會（「馬會」）的會員會籍申請事宜上涉嫌貪污。
廉署於昨日展開代號「領港員」行動，先後拘捕「馬會」三名遴選會員及多名會員、中間人及「馬會」會籍申請人。
廉署早前接獲貪污舉報，指稱有人就「馬會」會籍申請涉嫌行賄受賄。
調查顯示，其中一名被捕的「馬會」會員懷疑是案中主腦，他涉嫌在中間人協助下，與有關遴選會員串謀收受申請人賄款，作為支持他們申請「馬會」會籍的報酬。
「馬會」在廉署調查案件期間提供全面協助。
調查繼續進行。
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GS(14)@2010-11-19 21:32:13http://www.hkcd.com.hk/content/2010-11/18/content_2636539.htm
廉署拘29人涉馬會會籍貪污
2010年 11月 18日 00:00 中國窗
【香港商報訊】廉政公署昨日證實，就馬會遴選委員懷疑貪污案，迄今共拘捕了29人，懷疑他們在馬會會籍申請上涉嫌貪污。廉署更透露其中一名被捕的馬會會員懷疑是主腦。馬會發表聲明，表示全力配合廉署的調查，表明不會姑息不誠實人士，會繼續確保所有會籍申請，都經過嚴謹的審批程序。
拘3名遴選會員中間人主腦
廉署前日展開代號「領港員」行動，昨日該署證實拘捕29人，被捕的包括馬會3名遴選會員及多名會員、中間人及馬會會籍申請人。其中一名被捕馬會會員，懷疑是主腦，他涉嫌在中間人協助下，串同有關的遴選會員，收受申請人賄款，作為支持他們申請會籍的報酬。今次是繼2006年馬會榮譽遴選會員洪承禧，因涉嫌受賄45萬港元推薦他人做馬會全費會員而被判監兩年后，再次發生類似貪污案。
馬會：全力協助調查
馬會表示，由於有關案件正在調查當中，基於法律及個人私隱的原因，馬會不能提供涉案人士或案件的相關資料。馬會將一如以往，繼續與廉政公署通力合作，配合案件的調查。馬會將采取各項所需措施，以維護馬會的誠信。
馬會稱，早前已與廉政公署合作，完成檢討會籍申請程序，亦已向各會籍申請者及遴選會員，清楚表達馬會致力維護誠信的重要性。馬會并已向遴選會員逐一重申他們的責任，并確保他們清楚知道收受利益不但違反馬會規定，同時亦觸犯本港法律。
現時馬會遴選會員約有200人，網羅政府官員外，亦有公職人士、法律界、商界等。每名遴選會員每年，最多只能推薦一名全費會員及5名賽馬會員入會。成為全費會員后，便可使用所有會所及馬場設施，并透過參加特許計劃，使用沙田及雙魚河會所設施。由於成為馬會會員，向來被視為晉身上流社會的象徵，令遴選會員的推薦權奇貨可居。