Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

​An incoming female passenger was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment with a fine of $2,000 by the Fanling Magistrates’ Courts today (September 11) for possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes and liquor, and failing to declare them to Customs officers, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO).

Customs officers intercepted an incoming 56-year-old local woman at the Lo Wu Control Point on August 9 and seized about 14 300 duty-not-paid cigarettes and 150 millilitres of duty-not-paid liquor from her personal baggage, with a total estimated market value of about $58,600, and a duty potential of about $47,300. The female passenger was subsequently arrested.

Customs welcomes the sentence. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences. Members of the public should not defy the law.

Customs reminds members of the public that under the DCO, cigarettes are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette 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

     The Labour Department (LD) is highly concerned about a fatal work accident that occurred at the external wall of a building in Sham Shui Po this morning (September 11), in which a male worker fell from height while erecting a truss-out scaffold on the external wall. He was certified dead later in hospital. The LD is saddened by the death of the worker and expresses its deepest sympathy to his family.

     The LD’s spokesman said, “We commenced an immediate on-site investigation as soon as we were notified of the accident and have issued suspension notices to the contractors concerned, suspending the erection, alteration, dismantling and use of scaffolds on the external wall of the building. The contractors cannot resume the work process until the LD is satisfied that suitable measures to abate the relevant risks have been taken.”

     The spokesman added, “We will complete the investigation as soon as possible to identify the cause of the accident, ascertain the liability of duty holders and recommend improvement measures. We will take action pursuant to the law if any violations are found during the investigation.”

     To prevent workers from falling from height while erecting scaffolds, the LD reminds contractors to take adequate safety measures, including providing every scaffolder with a suitable full-body harness that is attached continuously to a suitable and secure anchor point, an independent lifeline or a fall arresting system, and ensuring the proper use of the above safety equipment by the workers concerned throughout the work. 

     The general duty provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance require employers to provide safe working environments, plant and systems of work for their employees. Those who contravene the relevant provisions are liable to a maximum fine of $10 million and imprisonment for two years.

     In regard to today’s accident, the LD will issue a Work Safety Alert through its mobile application “OSH 2.0”, website and email, giving a brief account of the accident concerned to duty holders, workers’ unions, professional bodies of safety practitioners and others, and reminding the industry of the importance of following safety precautionary measures to prevent a recurrence of similar accidents.

     The LD will also remind the employer concerned of the liability for employees’ compensation under the Employees’ Compensation Ordinance, assist family members of the deceased to claim employees’ compensation and closely follow up on the case. For those with financial difficulties, the LD will assist them to apply for appropriate emergency funds. Subject to the needs and wishes of the family members of the deceased, the LD will also liaise with the Social Welfare Department for financial or other assistance.

     For the sake of securing the safety and health of employees at work, the LD appeals to employers to provide plant and systems of work that are safe and without risks to health. Employees should also co-operate with their employers, adopt all safety measures and use personal protective equipment provided properly to avoid endangering their own work safety and that of other workers.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Singapore (Singapore ETO) is supporting the Hong Kong Film Gala Presentation 2026, which returns to Singapore for the fifth consecutive year. The event showcases Hong Kong’s vibrant culture and creativity through cinema and provides a platform for Hong Kong filmmakers and emerging talent to connect with overseas audiences and industry counterparts.
 
The Hong Kong Film Gala Presentation 2026 is being held at Shaw Theatres Lido from today (September 11) to September 13. The three-day programme features eight Hong Kong films, showcasing the diversity, creativity and vitality of Hong Kong cinema. It is organised by the Asian Film Awards Academy and co-organised by the Singapore Film Society, with support from the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency under the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, the Film Development Fund (FDF) and the Singapore ETO.
 
The Gala Presentation opened today with “Dog Day Evening”, directed and written by Mak Tin-shu. The comedy, rich in dark humour, received funding support from the FDF. It follows the lead character who storms into the customer service department of a television office building to terminate his pay television subscription by taking hostages to force the staff to process his service termination application. The film was nominated for the Asian New Talent section of the Golden Goblet Awards at the 28th Shanghai International Film Festival. Director Mak and actress Rachel Leung attended the opening in Singapore and shared their experiences in filmmaking and acting with the local audience after the screening.
 
The Singapore ETO sponsored a reception before the opening screening. Speaking at the reception, the Director of the Singapore ETO, Ms Elsa Hung, highlighted the role of cinema in showcasing Hong Kong’s culture and creativity to international audiences.
 
“Hong Kong has a rich cinematic heritage and our films have, over the decades, brought Hong Kong’s unique stories, culture and creativity to audiences worldwide. We are delighted to support the Hong Kong Film Gala Presentation again this year and bring both established classics and exciting new works by Hong Kong filmmakers to our friends in Singapore,” Ms Hung said.
 
“The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is committed to supporting the continued development of Hong Kong’s film industry, including nurturing talent, enhancing local production, expanding markets and building audiences. By bringing Hong Kong films and filmmakers overseas, we hope to provide our film talent with greater exposure and opportunities to connect with international audiences and industry counterparts, while enabling more people to discover Hong Kong and our stories through cinema. We also look forward to fostering closer exchanges and collaboration between the film communities of Hong Kong and Singapore,” she added.
 
This year’s Gala Presentation features six recent Hong Kong productions: “Dog Day Evening”, “Because of You Ka Kui”, “Wakesurf Lovers”, “The Dating Menu”, “Gamer Girls” and “The Snowball on a Sunny Day”. The films offer distinctive stories, characters and creative perspectives, covering themes ranging from youth and relationships to food and choices in life.
 
The programme also celebrates the enduring legacy and international influence of Hong Kong cinema with two landmark films starring Bruce Lee: “Enter the Dragon” and “The Way of the Dragon”, with the latter presented in a 4K restoration. The screenings offer Singapore audiences an opportunity to revisit the two classics on the big screen.
 
In addition to Mak and Leung, actress Renci Yeung, who stars in “Wakesurf Lovers”, and “The Dating Menu” together with Leung, is also attending this year’s Gala Presentation and meeting local audiences. The three Hong Kong filmmakers took the opportunity to engage directly with audiences in Singapore, share their creative perspectives and build connections with the local film community.
 
Alongside the film screenings, a special talk will be held on September 13, bringing together Hong Kong director Mak and Singapore filmmaker Kelvin Sng. The two directors will discuss their creative journeys, approaches to filmmaking and experiences in bringing stories from concept to the screen, and exchange perspectives on filmmaking in Hong Kong and Singapore. The talk is open to the public free of charge, with prior registration required. 
 
The Hong Kong Film Gala Presentation – Singapore runs until September 13. For programme details, please visit www.afa-academy.com.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Department of Health (DH) clarified today (September 11) regarding the false information and practice status of government Dental Officers published on a private dental online platform. The DH urges members of the public not to trust unverified information.

The DH recently received a complaint regarding several government Dental Officers working at a private dental clinic. The DH’s preliminary investigation revealed that a private dental online platform listed a dental clinic located in Mong Kok, where there are over 340 practicing dentists, including information on more than 200 serving full-time government Dental Officers.

The DH clarified that no currently serving full-time government Dental Officers are engaged in outside work at private dental clinics. The DH reiterated that all the practice information of the listed full-time government Dental Officers on the online platform is entirely false and mispresented. The DH has reported the incident to the Police.

The DH appeals to members of the public to verify the names, professional qualifications and practice addresses of registered dentists through the List of Registered Dentists published online by the Dental Council of Hong Kong. To ensure safety, they should not trust unverified information on the Internet.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The 11th Belt and Road Summit successfully concluded yesterday (September 10). The two-day event brought together more than 6 200 government and business leaders from over 70 countries and regions, showcasing over 300 investment projects, facilitating more than 800 one-on-one deal-making meetings, and witnessing a record high of over 60 memoranda of understanding (MOUs). The total value of these MOUs, together with new projects and deals finalised before and during the Summit, is over US$3.1 billion.

     The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, delivered remarks at the opening session. Senior officials over the world joined to share their insights, including the Prime Minister of Uzbekistan, Mr Abdulla Nigmatovich Aripov; the Vice President of Uruguay, Ms Carolina Cosse; and Deputy Prime Minister of Laos Mr Saleumxay Kommasith proving the Summit’s success in promoting government-to-government exchanges and relations with Belt and Road countries.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Government today published in the Gazette three pieces of subsidiary legislation to take forward a new phase of the ten measures for tobacco control, including establishing specific statutory requirements for the plain packaging of conventional smoking products and updating the health warnings on the packaging in tandem.

They will be tabled at the Legislative Council for the negative vetting procedure on October 7, and the measures prescribed will take effect on March 1, 2027, with a nine-month transitional period before full implementation on December 1, 2027. 

Plain packaging will remove brand logos, various colours and decorative elements – including slogans and signs on the packaging – fundamentally undermining the brand effect. This has already been implemented in 27 countries and regions and experience has proven that it effectively reduces smoking prevalence.

The Government will also update the content of the 12 health warnings that have been in use for eight years to further strengthen their deterrent effect, highlighting disabilities, disfigurement and a significant decrease in the quality of life caused by relevant diseases.

Additionally, as some tobacco companies use so-called “light” and “low tar” descriptions to lure consumers, the requirement to print tar and nicotine yields on the packaging has been removed to avoid misunderstanding.

The Government stated that plain packaging and duty stamps complement each other. The former reduces the attractiveness of tobacco products on the demand front, while the latter combats illicit cigarettes on the supply front.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Department of Health (DH) clarified today that no currently serving full-time government Dental Officers are engaged in outside work at private dental clinics, urging the public not to trust false information online.

The department recently received a complaint regarding several government Dental Officers working at a private dental clinic.

Preliminary investigation revealed that a private dental online platform listed a dental clinic located in Mong Kok, where there are over 340 practicing dentists, including information on more than 200 serving full-time government Dental Officers.

The DH stressed that all the practice information of the listed government officers on the online platform is entirely false and misrepresented. The department has reported the incident to the Police.

The DH also appealed to members of the public to verify the names, professional qualifications and practice addresses of registered dentists through the List of Registered Dentists published by the Dental Council of Hong Kong.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Court of First Instance today handed down its sentences against the now-defunct Hong Kong Alliance and related figures, with Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung stating that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government considers the ruling manifests that justice is done and safeguards the city’s core values.

Meeting the media today, Mr Tang said that the Alliance’s objective was to overthrow the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the fundamental system of the People’s Republic of China under the Constitution.

He noted that the group conducted public activities over a long period with the intent to sow hatred against the CPC and the central government in Hong Kong society, while inciting others to subvert state power. Such acts, he stressed, must be deterred in accordance with the law.

Mr Tang said the court reiterated that the defendants were not tried for their political ideology, words or deeds prior to the enactment of the Hong Kong National Security Law (HKNSL), but were convicted solely for unlawful acts committed during the charge period.

He highlighted that the sentence also explicitly set out six reasons why the case was of a serious nature.

First, at the material time of the case, some individuals were still unwilling to accept the exercise of sovereignty by the state over the Hong Kong SAR, nor were they willing to accept the constitutional order established by the Constitution and the Basic Law. The defendants engaged in inciting words and deeds amid a turbulent and unsettled social atmosphere, placing national security and public order at greater risk.

Second, the defendants’ criminal conduct was not an isolated incident, persisting for a period as long as 14 months. They committed the offence through various activities and on various social media platforms.

Additionally, the defendants possessed mobilising power and influence, with the impact of their words and deeds on the general public far exceeding that of lesser-known individuals. Their activities were city-wide with an extensive reach, influencing people of different age groups, and their potential harm must not be underestimated.

Lastly, despite the defendants’ belief that their agenda might be in breach of the Constitution and the HKNSL, they still persistently pursued their course of conduct, which was premeditated.

Mr Tang stressed that safeguarding national security is an obligation of all Hong Kong citizens and the constitutional responsibility of the Hong Kong SAR.

“The Hong Kong SAR Government will continue to effectively prevent, suppress and punish acts endangering national security in accordance with the law, ensuring the steadfast and successful implementation of the ‘one country, two systems’,” he said.