THERE IS NOT a typical working day as such at the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), according to Aman Chee Ming-hin, a chief investigator with the organisation. 'In the case of the Operations Department, every day is unpredictable as we may be summoned to take action any time. We are always on the ball, which keeps this job challenging for me.' Indeed, with the increasing sophistication of technology and business operations, the cases the ICAC handles are becoming more complicated, making investigative demands more volatile. As a 10-year veteran in corruption investigation, Mr Chee has had his fair share of the thrills and spills that characterise this line of work. 'Before we conduct an investigation, we have to do thorough background checks. We often have to do on-site observation, and this can take us anywhere, including seedy locations most people would stay away from,' he said. The ICAC's strict requirement for confidentiality also ensures that life is never boring for its officers. According to Mr Chee, planned actions are kept under maximum cover until the last minute on a 'need-to-know' basis, and officers are often summoned to take part only on the day of action. They also have a lot of post-action work to do, including preparation for prosecution, such as reports. 'We usually have a senior officer and an officer working together on a case, and it is not uncommon for an officer to be involved with eight or 10 cases at the same time,' he said. The department's officers receive basic training on joining and are trained further after the first year and on completion of their first contract. 'There are not many people with the right calibre, and they are in great demand,' Mr Chee said. 'I think having the right attitude is essential. Skills and knowledge can be learned and improved, but without genuine interest and commitment, it is not easy for one to sustain the drive to go on.'