The amendments to the regulation on tip offs published on Monday are a timely and necessary measure to facilitate the country's fight against corruption.

In 2008, both the number of corruption cases cracked and the number of people implicated has increased compared to the previous year, according to the work report of the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP).

Public tip offs contributed to 70 percent of the corruption cases being successfully cracked, said the SPP's year 2000 work report. But the clue number has been on the decline in recent years as informants are increasingly intimidated by violence.

To the comfort of whistle blowers, the amendments have expanded the channel for informants to provide clues. Apart from the original way of writing letters, making phone calls or personal visits, procurators at all levels will open special websites for tip offs, and informants can also send fax reports on corruption.

This will obviously make it much easier for informants to provide clues and also for them to be better protected from persecution by those who are exposed.

The stipulation that prosecutor-generals at all levels and the investigation department must receive whistle blowers in person will also help efficient investigation and protection of informants.

The amendments, if carried out to the letter, will likely place informants under good protection. Even if news about an informant is leaked out, it would be easier to find the culprit among the small group handling the tip offs.

What is encouraging is the indication in the SPP document that it will conduct further investigation on protection of whistle blowers and set out detailed rules to punish those who persecute them. The SPP document states that it will propose legislation on the matter, which will also specify how informants who are harmed could seek compensation for economic losses or damage to their reputation.

The cash award for informants, as underscored in the document, is apparently meant to encourage more people to provide clues for the crackdown on abuse of power. Ten percent of the embezzled money or bribes retrieved will be used to reward whistle blowers who contribute to the cracking of the case.

The SPP and its branches must make public all information including their detailed address, phone numbers and websites, according to the document. And, they are also required to publish the results of investigations based on tip offs. Informants can ask for further investigation if they believe the probe has not been thorough enough to bring to court the person they reported on.

These amendments have brought home the importance the central authorities attach to the battle against corruption.

Hopefully, their implementation will check the rampant abuse of power and contribute to the building of a clean and honest government.

(China Daily May 6, 2009)