Scene #1
Time: Day
Location: Coffee Shop
Character(s): Tim (renovation contractor), Ivy (coffee shop owner)
(Tim, a regular customer, is counting lai-see packets at his table.)
Tim: 2, 4, 6, 8…
(Ivy has just finished clearing a table nearby. She’s curious about the red packets.)
Ivy: Tim, are you celebrating?
Tim: No. I’ve just been contracted to renovate a chain restaurant. I’m preparing lai-see packets to hand out.
Ivy: Lai-see packets?
Tim: Just a good luck token for my workers before they start.
Ivy: Do carry on.
(However, she doesn’t understand the need for Tim to hand out lai-see.)
Scene #2
Time: Day
Location: Renovation work site
Character(s): Tim,Johnny (Project Manager from the restaurant chain), Construction workers
(Tim and his workers are cutting into a roast pig to celebrate the inauguration of their renovation project.)
Everyone: This is to a good start!
(After cutting up the pig, Tim begins distributing lai-see packets to his workers…)
Tim: Good luck to you…
Workers: Thanks, boss.
Tim: Good luck to you…
(He finally goes over to Johnny.)
Tim: Johnny, a lai-see packet for you…
Johnny: Tim, I can’t accept it.
Tim: (slightly embarrassed) Everyone gets one. It’s nothing.
(Johnny looks at the other workers nearby and announces self-righteously)
Johnny: Still, it’s company policy. I can’t accept it.
Tim: You’re a stickler for the rules! We’ll work well together then. If you need my help someday, feel free to ask.
Johnny: You’re too kind. Speaking of which, I just bought a home.
Tim: Congratulations!
Johnny: Thanks… The new property needs to be renovated. Are you interested?
Tim: Of course!
Johnny: Excellent! Come by sometime and give me a quote?
Tim: Sure, I’ll even offer you a discount!
Johnny: I’ll count on you then.
Tim: Certainly! Jonny, Since you’re sending more business my way, allow me to treat you to dinner tonight. You can’t say no this time.
Johnny: Alright then, thank you.
Tim: You’re welcome! Let’s go eat!
Scene #3
Time: Day
Location: Johnny’s office
Character(s): Johnny
(A document comes through the fax machine; it’s Tim’s quotation for renovating Johnny’s new home.Johnny’s face darkens as soon as he sees the quote.)
Johnny: (VO) Who does he think he is? How dare he quote such a high price?
Scene #4
Time: Day
Location: Renovation work site
Character(s): Tim, Johnny, Workers
(Johnny goes to the work site in search of Tim.)
Tim: Move those as well…
Johnny: Tim… can I have a word with you?
Tim: Sure, just a moment…while I sign for the delivery.
Johnny: Are these the floor tiles?
Tim: Yes.
Johnny: Let’s have a look.
(Tim instructs a worker to show Johnny the tiles…)
Tim: Sure. Leung, open a box and show it to Johnny.
Leung: Okay.
(The worker opens a box and shows the contents to Tim.)
Tim: Johnny?
(After a cursory look, Johnny immediately begins to complain.)
Johnny: Tim, this isn’t the right stock.
(Johnny appears to be furious. Tim is confused.)
Tim: (helplessly) Impossible! I ordered them according to the contract!
Johnny: These are unacceptable. The color is all wrong. (knocks at a tile) You can tell it’s shoddy quality. You need to replace the whole lot!
Tim: (still confused) But Johnny, you had no problem with it when we showed you the sample. Why is there an issue now?
(Johnny pats Tim on the shoulder.)
Johnny: Let’s talk in private.
(He stomps out. Tim has no choice but follow him out.)
Scene #5
Time: Day
Location: Coffee Shop
Character(s): Tim, Johnny, Ivy
(After taking a sip of coffee, Johnny’s face becomes serious as he sets his demands.)
Johnny: Tim, I’ll get to the point. The price you quoted for renovating my place is a tad high.(pushes the revised quote to Tim) This is a fair price.
(Tim is taken aback when he sees the revised price.)
Tim: $100,000… won’t even cover the materials!
Johnny: Hush! It’s a win-win proposition if we work together. We’ll both benefit. Substitute cheaper materials for the staff lounge and warehouse. I’ll turn a blind eye. In the end, you’ll turn a bigger profit.
Tim: You want me to use inferior materials? I can’t do that!
Johnny: Look, our restaurant chain is expanding. As long as I take care of your records, all future renovation contracts will go to you. If you don’t cooperate, I don’t know if I can help you with your current project. It’s up to you.
(Johnny takes another sip of coffee. Ivy overhears their exchange. Johnny’s phone rings.)
Johnny: (to Tim) Excuse me. I need to take this call. (to the phone) Hello… Yes. I’ll be back shortly. Bye. (hangs up) I need to go now. Think about it, okay?
(Johnny leaves the coffee shop.)
Tim: But Johnny…
(Tim is conflicted…)
Tim: (VO) Sigh…our company is just starting up. If we cross Johnny now, we’re done. But renovating his home at that ridiculous rate…is not right. What can I do?
Ivy: Tim?
(Ivy brings Tim a cup of coffee with the words “It’s Not Worth It” written in the foam. Tim looks at his coffee then Ivy; he appears to have found his answer.)
Scene #6
Time: Day
Location: Entrance to the ICACBuilding / Renovation work site
Character(s): Tim, New Project Manager, Tim’s workers
(Tim goes to the ICAC to report Johnny.)
Tim: (VO) Fortunately, I decided to report Johnny to the ICAC. He was later arrested.
The restaurant chain has assigned another project manager to the renovation project. Tim and the new project manager have worked well together.
Tim: (VO) Thanks to the restaurant group’s new project manager, we successfully completed the renovations. He was so impressed with our craftsmanship that he offered us more work on future projects. I believe in winning business through quality, not bribery.
Scene #7 (Recap)
Time: Day
Location: Coffee Shop
Character(s): Ivy, Tim
(Ivy sits down beside Tim.)
Tim: Thank you for warning me the other day. Otherwise I might have broken the law.
Ivy: Remember, any person who offers advantage to an agent in exchange for work-related favors is guilty of bribery. If you offer an unreasonably low rate to Johnny in exchange for a lax supervision in the restaurant renovation and contracts for future projects, you might have broken the law.
Tim: Fortunately, I didn’t listen to him… Still, what does the term “advantage” encompass?
Ivy: Advantage refers to anything of value, regardless of the monetary amount. That said, food or drinks for consumption on the occasion do not fall under the definition of advantage.
Tim: So treating him to dinner is not considered to be a bribe.
Ivy: Even though a free meal is not deemed an advantage, one should still be careful. For example, offering extravagant meals or frequent entertainment can be misinterpreted as attempts to bribe.
Tim: I offered a lai-see to Johnny on our first day of work. Did I break the law?
Ivy: Lai-see packets for business associates should be handled with caution. You may not have corrupt intentions when you offered the lai see packets, but others might see it as a way to ingratiate yourself. But if you were offering lai-see packets in exchange for work-related favors, you certainly committed bribery.
Tim: Huh? What if it’s a trade custom to offer lai-see packets? Is that OK?
Ivy: According to the law, accepting or offering bribes in excuse of trade customor practice is no defense against corruption charges.
Tim: Wow… there’s so much to be aware of.
Ivy: Of course. Speaking of which, I’m thinking about renovating my coffee shop. Would you be interested?
Tim: Of course! (pretends to be serious) Rest assured, I’ll charge you the standard rate, and you’ll get the best standards.