CCAC flags sick leave abuse by civil servants in annual report

The Commission Against Corruption (CCAC) has reported a significant decrease in the number of cases involving public servants abusing their positions to accept bribes.

However, the watchdog flagged persistent violations of general duties such as diligence and punctuality among civil servants last year.

In its “2024 Macau Commission Against Corruption Work Report” published yesterday in the Official Gazette, the graft-buster highlighted a notable case involving four customs officers, who were suspected of colluding with medical professionals to exaggerate illnesses, such as back and leg pain, in order to obtain hundreds of medical certificates.

The officers allegedly fraudulently claimed between 900 and 1,400 days of sick leave, receiving salaries ranging from MOP600,000 to MOP1.7 million during their absences.

In response, Macau Customs (SA) issued a statement yesterday providing details on the four cases. One involved a former first-class customs officer who was absent for 18 months due to illness and was later placed on compulsory retirement.

Another individual, a former customs officer, was dismissed in May 2021 following a disciplinary investigation.

The remaining two cases involved a current chief officer and a former first-class officer, who were absent due to illnesses declared in 2016 and 2018, respectively. In 2019, internal investigations were launched to verify the legitimacy of their medical claims.

Based on the findings, both officers were dismissed in March 2021.

However, both appealed to the courts, which overturned the dismissals due to procedural errors unrelated to Macau Customs. One of them, the former first-class officer, was later dismissed again on December 18, 2023, after being absent from work for more than five consecutive days without valid justification.

The SA emphasized in its statement that any violations of the law or internal regulations by personnel will be dealt with strictly.

113 anti-corruption

cases in 2024

CCAC said in its report that 293 cases were filed in 2024, including 113 anti-corruption cases and 147 administrative complaints. An additional 33 cases were launched jointly with law enforcement agencies.

Of the 113 anti-corruption cases, 68 involved the public sector and 45 the private sector. Investigations were concluded in 91 cases, with 60 in the public sector and 31 in the private sector. Nineteen of those were referred to the Public Prosecutions Office, while the remaining 72 were archived.

The CCAC also handled a record 62 support cases, including 33 new cases filed this year, marking the highest volume in recent years.

In a notable development, two private-sector corruption cases were prosecuted in 2024 – the first such cases in years.

According to the CCAC, some integrated resort operators filed complaints against employees involved in bribery, indicating growing vigilance in the private sector.