The practice of funeral service companies giving red packets to crematorium workers, which began innocently years ago, has degenerated into clear-cut bribery in return for preferential treatment (Stern CPIB warnings for crematorium staff who got red packets, Sept 20).

While gifts are often given as a gesture of goodwill, extra generous gifts tend to put pressure on the recipient to extend more than just goodwill to the giver.

Hence the line between sincere giving and bribery is becoming increasingly distorted.

In 2017, Professor Chong Siow Ann reminded doctors to be aware of the ploys of pharmaceutical companies and to preserve their professional integrity (The siren call of the drug industry, Nov 21, 2017).

The line between corruption and a gift showing one's appreciation is sometimes very thin, depending on cultural context.

What is seen as a sign of appreciation in one culture may be considered bribery in another.

For example, in the Middle East, being generous is valued and offering a gift tends to be seen as a mark of friendship and a necessary step to building a profitable business relationship.

International businesses need to ensure their employees have the right training to have the knowledge and awareness needed to accept gifts across different cultures.

Heng Cho Choon