Category: MIL-OSI

52 landlords of subdivided units under regulated tenancies convicted of contravening relevant statutory requirements 
     The offences of these 52 landlords include (1) failing to submit a Notice of Tenancy (Form AR2) to the Commissioner of Rating and Valuation within 60 days after the term of the regulated tenancy commenced; (2) failing to produce copies of the bills and provide an account in writing when requiring the tenant to pay for the reimbursement of the apportioned water and/or electricity charges; and (3) requesting the tenant to pay money other than the types permitted under the Ordinance (including requiring the tenant to pay an amount of rent for the second-term tenancy exceeding the maximum amount of rent permitted under the Ordinance).

     The RVD earlier discovered that the landlords failed to comply with the relevant requirements under the Ordinance. Upon a comprehensive investigation and evidence collection, the RVD prosecuted the landlords.
 
     A spokesman for the RVD reiterated that SDU landlords must comply with the relevant requirements under the Ordinance, including prohibiting landlords from doing any act calculated to interfere with the peace or comfort of members of the tenant’s household, with the intention of causing the tenant to give up occupation of the SDU; or requiring the tenant to pay an amount of rent for the second-term tenancy exceeding the maximum amount of rent permitted under the Ordinance, and also reminded  tenants of their rights under the Ordinance, including a four-year (i.e. two years plus two years) security of tenure. He also stressed that the RVD will continue to take resolute enforcement action against any contraventions of the Ordinance. Apart from following up on reported cases, the RVD has been adopting a multipronged approach to proactively identify, investigate and follow up on cases concerning landlords who are suspected of contravening the Ordinance. In particular, the RVD has been requiring landlords of regulated tenancies to provide information and reference documents of their tenancies for checking whether they have complied with the requirements of the Ordinance. If a landlord, without reasonable excuse, refuses to provide the relevant information or neglects the RVD’s request, the landlord commits an offence and is liable to a maximum fine at level 3 ($10,000) and to imprisonment for three months. Depending on the actual circumstances, and having regard to the information and evidence collected, the RVD will take appropriate actions on individual cases, including instigating prosecution against suspected contraventions of the Ordinance. In addition, the RVD has started a new round of publicity and education work to enhance public awareness about the key offences and penalties, emphasising that the RVD proactively checks whether landlords have committed the offences under the Ordinance.  
     The RVD reminds that pursuant to the Ordinance, a regulated cycle of regulated tenancies is to comprise two consecutive regulated tenancies (i.e. the first-term tenancy and second-term tenancy) for an SDU, and the term of each regulated tenancy is two years. A tenant of a first-term tenancy for an SDU is entitled to be granted a second-term tenancy of the regulated cycle, thus enjoying a total of four years of security of tenure. The RVD has been issuing letters enclosing relevant information to the landlords and tenants concerned of regulated tenancies in batches, according to the expiry time of their first-term tenancies, to assist them in understanding the important matters pertaining to the second-term tenancy, and to remind them about the procedures that need to be followed about two months prior to the commencement of the purported second-term tenancy as well as their respective obligations and rights under the Ordinance. These landlords and tenants may also visit the dedicated page for the second-term tenancy on the RVD’s website (www.rvd.gov.hk/en/tenancy_matters/second_term_tenancy.html 
     For enquiries related to regulated tenancies, please call the telephone hotline (2150 8303) or visit the RVD’s webpage (www.rvd.gov.hk/en/our_services/part_iva.htmlIssued at HKT 17:12

ITC and ICAC join efforts in combating fraud under Technology Voucher Programme      
     On the joint efforts with the ICAC in combating fraud under the Technology Voucher Programme (TVP), an ITC spokesperson said, “The ITC and the Hong Kong Productivity Council, which serves as the Secretariat of the TVP, have long been rigorously reviewing the information submitted by applicants to ensure the eligibility of the applications and that the project deliverables conform to relevant requirements. The current case demonstrates the high level of vigilance perceived by members of the ITC and the Secretariat, who proactively reported the concerned cases to law enforcement agencies when there was suspicion during the vetting procedures, and worked hand in hand with the ICAC during the investigation process. With the assistance of the ITC and the Secretariat, the ICAC successfully cracked the case and brought the criminal syndicate to justice.”
      
     The TVP was launched in 2016 to subsidise local enterprises/organisations in using technological services and solutions on a matching basis, to improve productivity, upgrade or transform their business processes. The Hong Kong Productivity Council serves as the TVP’s Secretariat. As the TVP had achieved its original objectives, it had ceased to accept new applications after December 31, 2024.
      
     The ITC and the Secretariat will continue to handle remaining projects and tasks under the TVP following the most rigorous standard to ensure that the project deliverables conform to relevant requirements, and stay highly vigilant for immediate referral of any suspicious cases to law enforcement agencies for follow-up.
Issued at HKT 17:30

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Residential mortgage loans in negative equity: End of December 2025       
     The estimated number of RMLs in negative equity was 21 304 cases at end-December 2025, as compared to 31 449 cases at end-September 2025. These cases were mainly related to bank staff housing loans or RMLs under mortgage insurance programme, which generally have a higher loan-to-value ratio.
      
     The aggregate value of RMLs in negative equity decreased to HK$105.4 billion at end-December 2025 compared with HK$156.8 billion at end-September 2025.
      
     The unsecured portion of these loans decreased to HK$6.2 billion at end-December 2025 from HK$10.9 billion at end-September 2025.
      
     The three-month delinquency ratio of RMLs in negative equity remained at a low level of 0.31 per cent at end-December 2025, as compared to 0.24 per cent at end-September 2025.
      
     It is important to note that the figures derived from this survey relate only to RMLs provided by authorized institutions on the basis of first mortgages and which the reporting institution knows to be in negative equity (i.e. the outstanding loan amount with the reporting institution exceeds the current market value of the mortgaged property). Not included in these figures are RMLs associated with co-financing schemes which would be in negative equity if the second mortgages were taken into account. The extent to which such RMLs are in negative equity is not known because authorized institutions do not maintain records on the outstanding balances of the second mortgages. 
      
     The mortgage portfolios of the surveyed authorized institutions represent about 99 per cent of the industry total. The survey results have been extrapolated to estimate the position of the banking sector as a whole. 
Issued at HKT 16:30

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New appointment to Hong Kong Maritime and Port Development Board announced————
Dr Moses Cheng Mo-chi————
Mr Angad Banga
Ms Sabrina Chao Sih-ming 
Mr Bjorn Hojgaard
Mr Wellington Koo Tse-hau 
Mr Lothair Lam Ming-fung (*new appointee)
Mr Timothy Lee Kwok-lam
Mr Edward Liu Yang
Dr Billy Mak Sui-choi
Mr Alan Tung Lieh-sing 
Mr Frankie Yick Chi-ming————
Secretary for Transport and Logistics or representative
Commissioner for Maritime and Port Development
Director of Marine
Director-General of Investment Promotion
Executive Director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council
Issued at HKT 18:00

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Monetary statistics for December 2025      
     Total loans and advances increased by 1.3 per cent in December, and increased by 2.3 per cent for 2025 as a whole. Among the total, loans for use in Hong Kong (including trade finance) and loans for use outside Hong Kong increased by 1.2 per cent and 1.8 per cent respectively in December. The Hong Kong dollar loan-to-deposit ratio decreased to 72.9 per cent at the end of December from 73.2 per cent at the end of November, as Hong Kong dollar deposits increased at a faster pace than Hong Kong dollar loans.
      
     For the fourth quarter of 2025 as a whole, loans for use in Hong Kong (including trade finance) increased by 0.2 per cent after decreasing by 0.4 per cent in the previous quarter. Analysed by economic use, residential mortgage loans increased, while loans to building, construction, property development and investment decreased.
      
     Hong Kong dollar M2 and M3 both increased by 0.4 per cent in December, and both increased by 4.2 per cent when compared to a year ago. The seasonally-adjusted Hong Kong dollar M1 decreased by 2.0 per cent in December, while increased by 11.7 per cent compared to a year ago, reflecting in part investment-related activities. Total M2 and total M3 both increased by 1.2 per cent in December. Compared to a year earlier, total M2 and total M3 both increased by 11.6 per cent.  
      
     As monthly monetary statistics are subject to volatilities due to a wide range of transient factors, such as seasonal funding demand as well as business and investment-related activities, caution is required when interpreting the statistics.
Issued at HKT 16:30

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HKPF holds Cyber Security Professional Awards 2025 presentation ceremony      
     Speaking at the ceremony, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Chow Yat-ming, stated that with the rapid development of technology, cyber security is no longer merely an information technology issue, but a matter that directly affects social operations, economic development, and even national security. A stable, reliable, and highly resilient cyber security environment is essential to support the sustainable development of innovation and technology, smart cities, and the digital economy. Cyber security professionals are a vital force in helping Hong Kong advance steadily in this critical area.
      
     Mr Chow added that this year marks the fifth CSPA presentation ceremony since its launch in 2016. The scheme has consistently maintained a strong commitment to excellence, bringing together experts from different industries to share experience, exchange knowledge, and strengthen cross-sector collaboration. It has helped raise Hong Kong’s overall cyber defense capability and professional standards. He expressed gratitude for the support and recognition the scheme has received from all sectors, and stressed that with continued collaboration among the Government, the industry, and professional community, Hong Kong’s cyber security development will continue to make solid progress.
      
     The CSPA 2025 is led by the Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau of the HKPF, with the Government Computer Emergency Response Team Hong Kong of the Digital Policy Office and the Hong Kong Computer Emergency Response Team Coordination Centre of the Hong Kong Productivity Council as co-organisers. This year’s response was overwhelming, setting a new record with 219 nominations received from 140 organisations. Following assessment, 64 individual awards were presented to winners from various professional sectors, in recognition of their outstanding performance and continued contributions to cyber security.
      
     In addition to individual awards, the CSPA 2025 also introduced four organisation‑award categories, with a total of 19 organisation awards presented. These included the Cyber Security Core Partner Award, Cyber Defence Strategy Collaboration Award, Cyber Security Excellence Contribution Award, and Cyber Security International Contribution Award, which commend organisations for their sustained commitment and tangible achievements in supporting law‑enforcement agencies, promoting public‑private collaboration, fostering cross‑sector and cross‑regional co-operation, and strengthening the overall resilience of Hong Kong’s cyber security defences.
      
     The inauguration ceremony of the second‑term Cyber Security Action Task Force was also held today. First established in 2024 and led by the HKPF, the Task Force expanded its membership this year, bringing together a total of 12 leading local and international cyber security organisations. The new‑term Task Force will engage in swifter and deeper intelligence exchange and professional collaboration, alongside providing training, publicity collaboration and cyber security services.  It will continually enhance Hong Kong’s joint defence capability against cyber threats and translate co-operative outcomes into greater overall cyber security resilience.
      
     Officiating guests also included the Under Secretary for Security, Mr Michael Cheuk; the Under Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Ms Lillian Cheong; the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), Mr Yip Wan-lung; the Deputy Commissioner (Digital Infrastructure) of the Digital Policy Office, Mr Daniel Cheung; the Commissioner of Critical Infrastructure (Computer-system Security) of the Security Bureau, Mr Francis Chan; and the Chief Digital Officer of the Hong Kong Productivity Council, Mr Edmond Lai.
     
Issued at HKT 18:47

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FEHD releases fifth batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in January