Month: March 2026

Source: Government of Singapore

Expansion to Bukit Panjang, Little India, Pioneer, Toa Payoh and Ang Mo Kio will raise coverage by about 100,000 households to over 800,000 households by end-2026.

13 March 2026 – The National Environment Agency (NEA) will expand Project Wolbachia – Singapore to five additional areas by the end of this year, achieving the target of covering 50 per cent of all households in Singapore. From April to October 2026, the programme will be progressively rolled out to Bukit Panjang, Little India, Pioneer, Toa Payoh and Ang Mo Kio, bringing total household coverage to more than 800,000 households [1]. More information on the releases can be found on NEA website and the myENV mobile application.

Milestone in Dengue Control

2             Reaching 50 per cent household coverage, including most areas at risk of large dengue outbreaks, will mark an important milestone for Singapore’s dengue control efforts. While residents will see a temporary increase in mosquitoes with the release of the male non-biting Wolbachia-carrying Aedes aegypti (Wolbachia-Aedes) mosquitoes, studies have shown significant benefits in release areas. Aedes aegypti mosquito populations reduced by 80 to 90 per cent, while residents experienced over 70 per cent lower dengue risk [2]. Residents living adjacent to the release areas were 45 per cent less likely to contract dengue compared to those with no releases.

3              These results highlight the effectiveness of Project Wolbachia as a complementary tool in Singapore’s comprehensive dengue control strategy. Project Wolbachia works alongside key prevention methods, including the removal of stagnant water sources and community education initiatives, to provide a multi-layered defence against dengue transmission. Source reduction to prevent mosquito breeding remains the cornerstone of effective dengue control.

A Decade of Innovation and Partnership

4            Project Wolbachia marks its 10th anniversary this October, reflecting a decade of innovative research with strong support from partners, stakeholders, and the community. The milestone underscores Singapore’s commitment to develop cutting-edge and effective approaches to combat dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases. The programme’s success would not have been possible without active community partnership.

Targeting the Primary Dengue Vector

5            Project Wolbachia specifically targets Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, the primary vector for dengue and Zika in Singapore. Residents may still encounter other biting mosquitoes in their homes and communities [3]. Like Aedes aegypti, these mosquitos may breed in stagnant water, making continued source reduction efforts crucial for overall mosquito control.

Community vigilance remains essential

6           Wolbachia-Aedes suppression technology is a powerful tool in our fight against dengue. However, it is designed to complement – not replace – proven source reduction efforts. Reduced community vigilance which leads to more mosquito breeding will negate the positive impact of Project Wolbachia, and can lead to an increase in dengue cases.  Sustained community efforts therefore remain critical for keeping dengue risks low. The B-L-O-C-K steps also remove breeding habitats for other biting mosquito species not targeted by Project Wolbachia.

7          Residents are reminded to practise the ‘B-L-O-C-K’ steps regularly:

• Break up hardened soil
• Lift and empty flowerpot plates
• Overturn pails and wipe their rims
• Change water in vases
• Keep roof gutters clear and place BTI insecticide inside

~~ End ~~

For more information, please submit your enquiries electronically via the Online Feedback Form or myENV mobile application.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho today expressed sorrow over the passing of former Secretary for Housing Donald Liao, and extended her deepest condolences to his family.

Mr Liao was also the first Director of Housing, and a former Chairman of the Housing Authority.

Ms Ho highlighted that Mr Liao pioneered the Home Ownership Scheme in Hong Kong, establishing the subsidised sale housing system to facilitate turnover in public rental housing and encourage upward mobility for grassroots families.

At a young age, Mr Liao took charge of the development Ma Tau Wai Estate and Wah Fu Estate, where he placed particular emphasis on the integration of public spaces, ancillary facilities and natural environments in public housing design.

Ms Ho said Mr Liao’s career journey in public housing has been an inspiration to her team and that he will remain their role model as the bureau strives to continue delivering excellence in the design of public housing.

Mr Liao was Hong Kong’s first Director of Housing, from 1973 to 1980, and Secretary for Housing from 1980 to 1985.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The 2026-27 Valuation List & Government Rent Roll will be available for inspection by members of the public from March 16 to May 31, the Rating & Valuation Department announced today.

The documents can be viewed at the Rating & Valuation Department, located at 15/F, Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices, 303 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Kowloon. They will also be published on the department’s website and its Property Information Online website.

Entries for rates and government rent demands, due to be issued in early April, will show the rateable values for 2026-27, the net amounts payable after deducting rates concessions, or Government rent payable. Objections to the new rateable values can be lodged from March 16 to May 31 by means of Form R20A or the electronic Form e-R20A.

In the 2026-27 Budget, the Financial Secretary proposed rates concessions for the first two quarters of 2026-27, subject to a ceiling of $500 per quarter for each rateable tenement.

Call 2152 0111 for enquiries.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Health Bureau today rejected claims that, under proposed new regulations, verification of whether conventional smoking products are “duty-paid” will depend solely on packaging.

The Government tentatively plans to implement both uniform packaging design for conventional smoking products and a duty stamp system simultaneously in the second quarter of next year.

In response to media enquiries today, the bureau emphasised that the uniform packaging plan aims to reduce the attractiveness of tobacco products, while the duty stamp requirement will strengthen efforts to combat “cheap-whites”, which are tobacco products imported without duties having been paid.

Following the measures’ implementation, all tobacco legally sold in Hong Kong will be required to have duty stamps affixed.

The bureau emphasised that uniform packaging is not itself intended to distinguish duty-paid cigarettes from “cheap-whites” and expressed regret at the dissemination of inaccurate information.

It said the duty stamps will adopt both physical and digital anti-counterfeiting technologies. The former will be similar to those commonly used in banknotes. Readily discernible to the naked eye, they allow swift and convenient verification. 

The bureau added that physical anti-counterfeiting technologies are sufficiently mature to effectively prevent forgery of duty stamps.

Digital anti-counterfeiting features are intended to assist frontline Customs officers in law enforcement. Members of the public who are uncertain about the authenticity of duty stamps on tobacco products will be advised to report their concerns to Customs.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Chief Executive John Lee today said the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will proactively align with the “Outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic & Social Development of the People’s Republic of China” (the 15th Five-Year Plan) and press ahead with high-quality development.  

The fourth session of the 14th National People’s Congress approved the 15th Five-Year Plan today.

In a statement, the Hong Kong SAR Government thanked the central authorities for their support in consolidating and enhancing Hong Kong’s competitive edge across various key areas, and for facilitating Hong Kong’s better integration into and service of the overall national development.

Mr Lee outlined that the 15th Five-Year Plan is the blueprint and action agenda for the country’s social and economic development in the next five years.

“The major objectives for this period include significant achievements in high-quality development, substantial improvements in scientific and technological self-reliance and strength, fresh breakthroughs in further deepening reform comprehensively, notable cultural and ethical progress across society, further improvements in quality of life, major new strides in advancing the Beautiful China Initiative and further advances in strengthening the national security shield.”

The Chief Executive added that the Hong Kong SAR is greatly encouraged by these objectives and will proactively align with the outline, contributing Hong Kong’s strength to further deepening reform comprehensively and advancing Chinese modernisation.

“I extend my sincere gratitude for the country’s steadfast support and care for Hong Kong as demonstrated by the inclusion of multiple provisions in the 15th Five-Year Plan to promote Hong Kong’s long-term prosperity and stability, and to deepen the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area,” he said.

“I will lead the Hong Kong SAR Government to earnestly fulfil its role in bearing the primary responsibility for the governance of Hong Kong, unite various sectors of the community to actively support and proactively align with the National 15th Five-Year Plan.”

Mr Lee stressed that, through formulating a systematic policy framework, the Hong Kong SAR Government will map out strategic initiatives of greater comprehensiveness, higher precision and finer detail for key development areas, and will, for the first time, draw up a macroscopic, strategic and forward-looking five-year plan for Hong Kong.

Preparatory groups set up by various bureaus under Mr Lee’s instruction have been converted into formulation teams for alignment with the 15th Five-Year Plan, and will work at full speed to craft Hong Kong’s five-year plan this year.

Mr Lee said Hong Kong’s first Five-year Plan, aligning with the National 15th Five-Year Plan, will have far-reaching implications.

“Serving as the collective action framework for the Hong Kong SAR, it will outline Hong Kong’s development vision, core objectives, key areas and major initiatives over the next five years. This plan will provide clear guidance for Hong Kong’s socio-economic and livelihood development, driving Hong Kong’s deeper integration into and contribution to the overall national development.”

The Chief Executive emphasised that the most direct benefit of Hong Kong’s five-year plan will stem from having the robust backing of national development. As the world’s second-largest economy, he said, the country’s comprehensive capabilities provide Hong Kong with immense market momentum and development opportunities.

He remarked that as China has surged to global leadership in various fields – including innovation and technology, artificial intelligence, big data, and infrastructural development – Hong Kong can leverage the country’s industrial ecosystem and progress to achieve “leapfrog development” in its own emerging industries.

“To ensure the smooth progress of the formulation work, I will take the lead in this endeavour, with the Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Bureau assuming primary responsibility,” Mr Lee said.

He added that all Secretaries of Departments and Directors of Bureaus shall fully commit to driving forward and jointly participating in this initiative.

“I am confident that with our concerted efforts and collective wisdom, the first Hong Kong’s Five-year Plan will serve as a guiding framework for pioneering new horizons and achieving a new leap forward for Hong Kong.

“It will lay a more concrete foundation for our long-term prosperity and stability, enabling Hong Kong to demonstrate renewed commitment and achievements in the journey of integrating into and serving the overall national development.”

The fourth session of the 14th National People’s Congress also adopted the National Development Planning Law. This is the first time that a dedicated piece of legislation concerning national development planning has been enacted at the top level.

The law provides a robust legal foundation for the formulation of development plans.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Hong Kong Customs mounted an operation codenamed “Axis” yesterday (March 11) and arrested a local man who is suspected of dealing with a total of about $4.7 billion of funds with unknown sources via his bank accounts of two companies between April 2022 and February 2026. During the follow-up investigation, another local man who was suspected of operating a dangerous drugs packing and distribution centre was arrested in a commercial premises.
 
Customs officers targeted a money laundering syndicate and initiated financial investigation against a 66-year-old local man. It was revealed that his financial background was highly incommensurate with the enormous transactions conducted in his company bank accounts. It is suspected that he had dealt with suspicious funds through local companies accounts and engaged in money laundering activity.
 
After an in-depth investigation, Customs officers raided a residential address yesterday and seized mobile phones and bank documents therein. During the premises search against the business address of one of the subject companies, Customs officers seized a bankbook counter, cash, bank cards, suspected dangerous drugs, including cannabis buds, cannabis oil products, cocaine, methamphetamine, ketamine, MDMA tablets and a batch of suspected drug packaging paraphernalia and inhalation apparatuses, about 9 000 duty-not-paid cigarettes and suspected nicotine oil. The estimated market value of the drug seizures was about $300,000. A 36-year-old local man was arrested.
 
Customs will conduct follow up investigation under the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance (OSCO), Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, Dutiable Commodities Ordinance and Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance, the likelihood of further arrests is not ruled out.
 
Under the OSCO, a person commits an offence if he or she deals with any property knowing or having reasonable grounds to believe that such property, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly represents any person’s proceeds of an indictable offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and imprisonment for 14 years while the crime proceeds are also subject to confiscation.
    
Members of the public may report any suspected money laundering activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     In response to media enquiries today (March 12) regarding the implementation arrangements of the uniform packaging design for conventional smoking products and the duty stamp system, the Health Bureau (HHB) gave the following response:

     The Government tentatively plans to fully implement both the uniform packaging design for conventional smoking products and the duty stamp system simultaneously in the second quarter of 2027.

     The uniform packaging design and the duty stamp serve distinct purposes. The former aims to reduce the attractiveness of tobacco products, while the latter strengthens efforts to combat “cheap-whites” through duty stamps. Following the simultaneous and full implementation of both measures, all specified tobacco legally sold in Hong Kong must have the duty stamps affixed. There is no basis for an organisation to allege that one would need to identify whether the products are duty-paid through the uniform packaging design alone. It must be emphasised that the uniform packaging design itself is not intended to distinguish duty-paid cigarettes or “cheap-whites”. The HHB expressed regret at the dissemination of inaccurate information by the organisation concerned.

     The duty stamps will feature both physical and digital anti-counterfeiting technologies, rather than merely the digital anti-counterfeiting features. Physical anti-counterfeiting features are referenced from technologies commonly used in banknotes, and are readily discernible to the naked eye. Therefore, members of the public and retailers can swiftly and conveniently verify the authenticity of the stamps. At present, physical anti-counterfeiting technologies in the market are sufficiently mature to effectively prevent forgery of the stamps. On the other hand, digital anti-counterfeiting features are intended to assist frontline Customs officers in law enforcement. Should members of the public remain uncertain about the authenticity of a duty stamp after examining the physical anti-counterfeiting features, they may report to the Customs and Excise Department (C&ED) to facilitate the latter’s investigation.

     The C&ED concluded the Pilot Run for the Duty Stamp System in January this year and has held multiple information sessions to comprehensively introduce the latest developments of the system and future arrangements to the tobacco industry. The C&ED will continue its publicity efforts and encourages the active participation of the industry.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region