Hong Kong News

Nonpartisan, Noncommercial, unconstrained.
Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

Senior immigration officers under probe for receiving hampers from Evergrande

Senior immigration officers under probe for receiving hampers from Evergrande

Hong Kong’s Immigration Department will probe into two of its senior officers receiving gift hampers from an Evergrande executive, Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung said on Wednesday.
Local media reported on Tuesday night that Andrew Huang Xiangui from Evergrande sent gift hampers containing abalone to deputy director of immigration Benson Kwok Joon-fung and principal immigration officer Jacky Wong Ki before the Mid-autumn Festival this year.

Under the law, officials cannot receive any gift which costs more than HK$3,000.

When asked if their receiving of the hampers would run against the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance, Tang said authorities will look into the matter. He refused to make further comments until the investigation has concluded.

ICAC said it would not comment on individual cases, but said it will follow up with alleged violations against the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance according to established proceedings.

Immigration Department said the officers concerned had informed the Director of Immigration immediately after they received media enquiry about the hampers on December 5.

They said they had received gifts from their personal friends at a traditional festival. Since there were no dealings in their official capacities, and the value of the gifts did not exceed relevant regulations, the concerned officers did not make any declaration.

“The Immigration Department's follow-up is in progress. The department stressed that it always attaches great importance to staff conduct. If any officer is found to be involved in any unlawful acts or misconduct, the department will handle the matter seriously in accordance with the law and established procedures,” it stated on Wednesday.

Under Acceptance of Advantages (Chief Executive’s Permission) Notice 2010 under Prevention of Bribery Ordinance and the Civil Servants Guide to Good Practices, civil servants cannot accept gifts or advantages from contacts with whom they have official dealings, while gifts from family members are exempted.

The notice stated that civil servants can only accept gifts not exceeding HK$3,000 from “close personal friends” on occasions when gifts are traditionally given or exchanged, and gifts not exceeding HK$500 on any other occasion.

Meanwhile, other people can give gifts not exceeding HK$1,500 on occasions when gifts are traditionally given or exchanged, and gifts not exceeding HK$250 on any other occasion.

They are also instructed to refuse “lavish or unreasonably generous or frequent entertainment.”

According to a media report, the gift hampers given to the two senior immigration officers were from Island Shangri-La Hotel and contained mooncakes, abalone, himematsutake mushroom, Chinese tea, and champagne. The official price of the hamper was HK$3,388.

Kwok told the media that there was early bird discount for the hamper, and it cost less than HK$3,000 with the discount.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Hong Kong News
0:00
0:00
Close
It's always the people with the dirty hands pointing their fingers
Paper straws found to contain long-lasting and potentially toxic chemicals - study
FTX's Bankman-Fried headed for jail after judge revokes bail
Blackrock gets half a trillion dollar deal to rebuild Ukraine
Steve Jobs' Son Launches Venture Capital Firm With $200 Million For Cancer Treatments
Google reshuffles Assistant unit, lays off some staffers, to 'supercharge' products with A.I.
End of Viagra? FDA approved a gel against erectile dysfunction
UK sanctions Russians judges over dual British national Kara-Murza's trial
US restricts visa-free travel for Hungarian passport holders because of security concerns
America's First New Nuclear Reactor in Nearly Seven Years Begins Operations
Southeast Asia moves closer to economic unity with new regional payments system
Political leader from South Africa, Julius Malema, led violent racist chants at a massive rally on Saturday
Today Hunter Biden’s best friend and business associate, Devon Archer, testified that Joe Biden met in Georgetown with Russian Moscow Mayor's Wife Yelena Baturina who later paid Hunter Biden $3.5 million in so called “consulting fees”
'I am not your servant': IndiGo crew member, passenger get into row over airline meal
Singapore Carries Out First Execution of a Woman in Two Decades Amid Capital Punishment Debate
Spanish Citizenship Granted to Iranian chess player who removed hijab
US Senate Republican Mitch McConnell freezes up, leaves press conference
Speaker McCarthy says the United States House of Representatives is getting ready to impeach Joe Biden.
San Francisco car crash
This camera man is a genius
3D ad in front of Burj Khalifa
Next level gaming
BMW driver…
Google testing journalism AI. We are doing it already 2 years, and without Google biased propoganda and manipulated censorship
Unlike illegal imigrants coming by boats - US Citizens Will Need Visa To Travel To Europe in 2024
Musk announces Twitter name and logo change to X.com
The politician and the journalist lost control and started fighting on live broadcast.
The future of sports
Unveiling the Black Hole: The Mysterious Fate of EU's Aid to Ukraine
Farewell to a Music Titan: Tony Bennett, Renowned Jazz and Pop Vocalist, Passes Away at 96
Alarming Behavior Among Florida's Sharks Raises Concerns Over Possible Cocaine Exposure
Transgender Exclusion in Miss Italy Stirs Controversy Amidst Changing Global Beauty Pageant Landscape
Joe Biden admitted, in his own words, that he delivered what he promised in exchange for the $10 million bribe he received from the Ukraine Oil Company.
TikTok Takes On Spotify And Apple, Launches Own Music Service
Global Trend: Using Anti-Fake News Laws as Censorship Tools - A Deep Dive into Tunisia's Scenario
Arresting Putin During South African Visit Would Equate to War Declaration, Asserts President Ramaphosa
Hacktivist Collective Anonymous Launches 'Project Disclosure' to Unearth Information on UFOs and ETIs
Typo sends millions of US military emails to Russian ally Mali
Server Arrested For Theft After Refusing To Pay A Table's $100 Restaurant Bill When They Dined & Dashed
The Changing Face of Europe: How Mass Migration is Reshaping the Political Landscape
China Urges EU to Clarify Strategic Partnership Amid Trade Tensions
The Last Pour: Anchor Brewing, America's Pioneer Craft Brewer, Closes After 127 Years
Democracy not: EU's Digital Commissioner Considers Shutting Down Social Media Platforms Amid Social Unrest
Sarah Silverman and Renowned Authors Lodge Copyright Infringement Case Against OpenAI and Meta
Why Do Tech Executives Support Kennedy Jr.?
The New York Times Announces Closure of its Sports Section in Favor of The Athletic
BBC Anchor Huw Edwards Hospitalized Amid Child Sex Abuse Allegations, Family Confirms
Florida Attorney General requests Meta CEO's testimony on company's platforms' alleged facilitation of illicit activities
The Distorted Mirror of actual approval ratings: Examining the True Threat to Democracy Beyond the Persona of Putin
40,000 child slaves in Congo are forced to work in cobalt mines so we can drive electric cars.
×