Graduates keen on ICAC roles despite Timothy Tong Hin-ming's expenses saga

An expenses scandal surrounding former anti-corruption chief Timothy Tong Hin-ming has not dampened the enthusiasm of fresh university graduates for the city's graft-buster, a senior investigator says.

The Independent Commission Against Corruption received a good response to the first career talks it held at eight universities across the city, said Dale Ko, acting senior principal investigator with the anti-graft agency.

"Rarely do the students inquire about what happened recently," Ko said yesterday, referring to Tong's troubles.

Last month, lawmakers issued their strongest condemnation yet of what they termed Tong's "deplorable" overspending on official entertainment, gifts and trips during his term.

"They frequently asked questions [about topics] that interested them most, such as the difficulties of the job and the need for overtime work," Ko said.

The ICAC aimed to hire more than 10 investigators in its current recruitment exercise, the agency said, with the final total dependent on the number and quality of candidates.