Proactive people make things happen, whereas reactive people wait for things to happen. Whom do you expect to have a greater chance of success? The story of ICAC chief investigator Alex Ma, who won the first prize for International Law Enforcement Officer this year, will give you the answer.
In 1997, Mr Ma headed an investigation of an international counterfeit credit card crime. Though the available information was limited at the beginning, he managed to trace the syndicate operation that was led by a couple in Hong Kong. But shortly before any action could be taken, the man suddenly disappeared and this hindered the investigation. Referring to the setback, Mr Ma said: 'My colleagues and I treated this incident as a challenge. We were determined to find the man's whereabouts.' Finally, the man was located in Britain, where he was arrested. However, this was not the end of the case. Mr Ma found the computer containing the criminal evidence severely damaged by the man's wife. Demonstrating persistence once again, Mr Ma succeeded in retrieving the information from the machine with assistance from computer experts, leading to the conviction of the culprits in the end.
Whether we like it or not, there are obstacles in our lives. Whether we can overcome these obstacles depends on our atti tude. In sharing his experience, Mr Ma said: 'The most important thing is not to raise the white flag in surrender. We must think about the situation thoroughly to find ways to overcome the problems, and be coura geous to try all alternatives. It is always helpful to consult others in finding a solution to a problem. With a positive attitude, I don't see any reason why we cannot achieve our goals.' Vocabulary: 1. counterfeit (adj): made in imitation of something genuine in order to deceive or defraud 2. syndicate (n): a group of people who have come together for a particular purpose 3. persistence (n): the quality of continuing to do something even though it is difficult 4. culprit (n): a person guilty or believed to be guilty of a crime 5. courageous (adj): brave
