MIL Asia Pacific Publishing Engine

LCQ17: Making good use of Apology Ordinance to resolve disputes 
Question:
 
     There are views pointing out that the Apology Ordinance (Cap. 631) (the Ordinance) clarifies the legal consequences of making an apology by stipulating that in most civil proceedings, an apology does not constitute an express or implied admission of fault or liability, thereby providing a safe and non-adversarial starting point for communication between parties in dispute and a new approach to resolving conflicts. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) whether it has assessed the effectiveness of Cap. 631 in easing conflicts and facilitating dispute resolution since it took effect on December 1, 2017;
 
(2) as there are views that members of the public have limited understanding of Cap. 631, whether the Government has formulated measures to further step up publicity of the initiatives and purpose of the Ordinance to all sectors of society, thereby facilitating amicable dispute resolution; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
 
(3) to enhance application of Cap. 631, whether the Government will consider including the option of making an apology, applicable proceedings under the Ordinance and related content in the practice guides of various government departments to enable the Government to make good use of the Ordinance to prevent escalation of disputes and to resolve conflicts when encountering controversial public incidents or social disputes; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     In response to the enquiry raised by Dr the Hon Thomas So, the reply is as follows:
 
(1) The legislative intent of the Apology Ordinance in Hong Kong is to provide clear stipulations regarding the effect of apologies in specified matters and applicable proceedings concerning those matters, thereby promoting and encouraging parties in dispute to voluntarily make apologies, with a view to preventing the escalation of disputes and facilitating their amicable resolution. The Ordinance does not compel anyone to make an apology.
 
     Since its enactment, the primary effectiveness of the Ordinance has been providing society with a clear legal framework, addressing concerns that apologies may lead to admission of one’s fault or liability. This encourages voluntary communication and creates more favorable conditions for amicable resolution of disputes through means such as mediation. As evidence of an apology made is generally not admissible in applicable proceedings, and that apology and settlement processes conducted in private are not reflected in public records, it is difficult to quantify the effectiveness by statistics.
 
(2) The Department of Justice (DoJ) recognises the importance of continuously promoting the Ordinance to the public and various sectors and will disseminate the legislative intent and practical application of the Ordinance across different occasions and media as appropriate.
 
     Specifically, the DoJ will integrate the promotion of the Ordinance and mediation in various suitable promotional activities (whether self-organised or co-organised ones). These include initiative such as the “Mediate First” Pledge Events and seminars arranged in collaboration with other Government departments (e.g. the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department). Through these platforms, we will explain to different sectors of society how apologies, as an effective communication method, can complement mediation and provide a more amicable and constructive path for dispute resolution. The DoJ will also utilise different channels, such as the regularly published Mediation Dispatch, to enhance awareness of the Ordinance among stakeholders and the general public. We believe that by incorporating the promotion of the Ordinance into the existing promotional framework for advocating effective dispute resolution, we can more effectively help the public and professionals understand and utilise apology to achieve the goals of promoting settlement and mitigating conflicts.
 
(3) The Ordinance applies to the Government. Within the Government, we encourage consideration of applying the principles advocated by the Ordinance in handling matters or disputes when appropriate.
 
     In practice, the intent of the Ordinance complements the Government’s “Mediate First” commitment and policy. For example, mediation clauses have been progressively incorporated into Government contracts to require contracting parties to first attempt resolving disputes through mediation. During these mediation processes, the legal protection offered by the Ordinance creates an environment more conducive to the engagement in open communication and exploration of settlement proposals (including apologies) for all parties involved, including Government departments.
Issued at HKT 14:16

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Women’s Commission welcomes 2026-27 Budget          
     The Women’s Commission (WoC) welcomes the initiatives on promoting women’s development in the 2026-27 Budget delivered today (February 25) by the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan.
      
     In the Budget, the Financial Secretary mentioned that to promote all-round women’s development, the annual funding for the Women Empowerment Fund (WEF) under the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau and the WoC will be increased to $30 million starting from the next financial year.
      
     The Chairperson of the WoC, Dr Eliza Chan, said, “The increase in the annual funding for the WEF announced in the Budget demonstrates the Government’s steadfast support for promoting women’s all-round development. I look forward to seeing more women’s groups and non-governmental organisations make good use of this resource to implement projects that could better meet women’s actual needs and be more diversified in nature, thereby supporting women in realising their full potential and achieving self-fulfilment at different stages of life.”
      
     She added, “Looking ahead, the WoC will continue to advise the Government on policies concerning women’s development and promote greater attention and support from all sectors of society for women’s rights and development.”

     The WoC was established in 2001 and is committed to enabling women in Hong Kong to fully realise their due status, rights, and opportunities in all aspects of life. It adopts a three-pronged strategy, namely the provision of an enabling environment, empowerment of women through capacity building, and public education, to promote the well-being and interests of women.
Issued at HKT 19:10

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LCQ16: Development of harbourfront promenades in Kowloon 
Question:
 
     The Secretary for Development noted in her blog last month that following the completion of the approximately 13-kilometre-long harbourfront walkway on Hong Kong Island, the focus of harbourfront development would extend to Kowloon, with the target of extending the total length of the harbourfront promenades on both sides of Victoria Harbour to 34 kilometres by or before 2028. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) given that the Government has incorporated the gas offtake station off Grand Waterfront, the vicinity of the Fishtail Rock in Hoi Sham Park, and the private section of the Green Island Cement Pier into the Study on East Kowloon Harbourfront Trail to examine further connecting the relevant harbourfront sections, of the latest progress of the study on improving the accessibility of the aforesaid three harbourfront sites and the timetables for the relevant works projects;
 
(2) given that the section of harbourfront promenade at Kai Tak Metro Park (including the portion connecting to the Kai Tak Sports Park) has been opened, while other sections (including the portion connecting to the Cruise Terminal) have not yet been completed, of the implementation timetables and roadmaps for the relevant works projects;
 
(3) given that the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) has earlier launched the To Kwa Wan Harbourfront Study to examine and plan, from a macro perspective, the connectivity and accessibility between the inland areas and the harbourfront spaces of To Kwa Wan, whether the Government will study ways to optimise harbourfront spaces and enhance road connections between the MTR To Kwa Wan Station and the MTR Sung Wong Toi Station jointly with URA, so as to improve the accessibility of harbourfront promenades; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
 
(4) whether it will study the relocation of berthing spaces for barges in the To Kwa Wan Typhoon Shelter to vacate space for use as a water activity centre, thereby promoting harbourfront development; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
 
(5) whether it will study a tourism development strategy with shopping, sightseeing and leisure entertainment as the theme to connect the harbourfront promenades from the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal to Cheung Sha Wan, so as to create a distinctive harbourfront tourist hotspot; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     The Development Bureau has been working closely with the Harbourfront Commission to promote various initiatives to enhance the Victoria Harbourfront, with a view to creating a diversified, vibrant, accessible and inclusive harbourfront space for the public. The total length of the harbourfront promenades in Kowloon will reach approximately 15 kilometres upon completion of the following projects this year: the pedestrian walkway connecting the West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) to Tai Kok Tsui, the waterfront promenade next to the Kai Tak New Acute Hospital and the event space and public open space at the former Hung Hom Railway Freight Yard Pier site, and the length will be further increased to approximately 16 kilometres by 2028. With the approximately 18 kilometres of harbourfront promenades already opened on Hong Kong Island as well as in Tsuen Wan and Kwai Tsing in the New Territories, the total length of promenades on both sides of Victoria Harbour will be extended to approximately 34 kilometres by 2028. We will leverage the streamlined mechanism under the amended Protection of the Harbour Ordinance as appropriate for continuous enhancements to waterfront facilities, including the harbourfront promenades in Kowloon.
      
     In consultation with the Transport and Logistics Bureau (TLB) and the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau (CSTB), the reply to various parts of the question is as follows:
 
(1) To further connect and enhance the East Kowloon harbourfront, we will commence the Study on East Kowloon Harbourfront Trail (the Study) next month, exploring options to enhance the accessibility and facilities for waterfront sections that have not been connected yet, including the three locations mentioned in the question. We target to consult stakeholders on the relevant proposals in 2027. The directions of the Study for the aforementioned three locations are as follows:
 
(i) For the waterfront in the vicinity of the Fishtail Rock in Hoi Sham Park: We consider that being one of the only remaining natural shorelines along Victoria Harbour, the waterfront section of Fishtail Rock should be retained and there are no plans for reclamation at this stage. Currently, there is a pedestrian connection behind the Fishtail Rock connecting to the promenade of the Hoi Sham Park Extension. We will continue to explore with the Leisure and Cultural Services Department concrete proposals for enhancing the existing pedestrian connection, such as installing wayfinding signages etc., with a view to further improving the walking environment of the waterfront in the vicinity of the Fishtail Rock.
 
(ii) For the waterfront gas facility site off Grand Waterfront in To Kwa Wan: Currently, the gas offtake station and the jetty for transfer of naphtha, the raw material for the production of gas, are still in operation. The Study will consider viable pedestrian connection options whilst minimising the impact on the gas facility. During the process, we will consult the landowner and ensure that the relevant arrangements comply with the quantitative risk assessment recently completed by the Civil Engineering and Development Department on different pedestrian connection options.
 
(iii) For the waterfront area near the Green Island Cement Pier in Hung Hom: Connecting the concerned waterfront area is more complex due to the fact that the industrial buildings in the lots therein are under multiple ownership with various owners, and certain parts of these lots have access to the sea according to the relevant leases. The Study will consider various non-reclamation options, including first improving the walking environment of the existing inland pedestrian walkway, as well as exploring the feasibility of developing the pier site for purposes consistent with harbourfront development. Should the non-reclamation options be proven not feasible in the end, we will study the possibility of a boardwalk with small-scale reclamation, and ensure that the design will accommodate the rights of relevant owners to access the sea as appropriate.
 
(2) The total length of the developable harbourfront promenades along the former runway area of Kai Tak is 4.7 kilometres, of which 4.1 kilometres (including the section connecting to the Kai Tak Sports Park) have been connected and opened to the public. The remaining 0.6 kilometres of the harbourfront promenade will be handed over to the future franchise company of the Smart and Green Mass Transit System in Kai Tak which will undertake its construction concurrently with the development of the site.
 
(3) One of the study directions of the To Kwa Wan Harbourfront Study conducted by the URA (the URA Study) is to strengthen the connection between the inland area and the harbourfront. The URA Study explores the benefits arising from the improvement of the environment of old district and the road network through urban renewal projects, and formulates three major road networks to channel pedestrian circulation and vibrancy towards the harbourfront, which include enhancing the road connectivity between the harbourfront and MTR To Kwa Wan and Sung Wong Toi Stations:
 
(i) For connection between the “Lung Shing” area and the Kai Tak Development Area (KTDA): The URA Study proposes connecting the URA’s Kai Tak Road/Sa Po Road Development Scheme and the Nga Tsin Wai Road/Carpenter Road Development Scheme to the underground shopping area in the KTDA and MTR Sung Wong Toi Station via the Government subway. Upon completion of the projects concerned, it is expected that this will bring an enhanced and accessible walking environment to the public, such that the “Lung Shing” area can directly link to the KTDA, the Kai Tak Metro Park at the northern end of the former Kai Tak runway, and the adjacent harbourfront, thereby connecting the inland areas with the waterfront and the water bodies.
 
(ii) For recreational and waterfront spaces centred around “District-based Redevelopment New Community” (New Community): The URA Study proposes that the improved walking environment, the newly added pedestrian streets, and the footbridge connecting to MTR To Kwa Wan Station, etc. within the URA’s first New Community project in To Kwa Wan (comprising eight connected urban renewal projects along Bailey Street, Wing Kwong Street and Ngan Hon Street) should be utilised to connect the Kau Pui Lung Road/Chi Kiang Street Development Scheme at the north of the New Community with Hoi Sham Park via MTR To Kwa Wan Station and the footbridge as well as the pedestrian street within the New Community. This will strengthen the connection between public open space in the district, as well as the inland green belts and the waterfront.
 
(iii) For connecting the Civil Servants’ Co-operative Building Society and the “Five Streets” Project: At present, URA’s Shing Tak Street/Ma Tau Chung Road Civil Servants’ Co-operative Building Society Redevelopment Project, Ming Lun Street/Ma Tau Kok Road Development Scheme, and To Kwa Wan Road/Ma Tau Kok Road Development Scheme (i.e. the “Five Streets” Project) are located at the two ends of Ma Tau Kok Road respectively. To strengthen the access to the harbourfront, the URA Study explores revitalising and beautifying the streetscapes along Ma Tau Kok Road to improve the overall walking environment. It also proposes that a diversified at-grade harbourfront plaza of no less than 25 metres wide should be provided between the residential and commercial buildings planned within the projects, facilitating direct access for the public to walk from To Kwa Wan Road to the waterfront.
 
(4) The TLB indicates that the To Kwa Wan Typhoon Shelter (TKWTS) is one of the two statutory typhoon shelters in the eastern waters of Victoria Harbour that allow the entry of local vessels (including working vessels and pleasure vessels) not exceeding 50 metres long. Under the current legislation, with a few exceptions (for example, if a vessel carries dangerous goods or has exceeded the permitted length of typhoon shelters), all local vessels may enter and remain in any typhoon shelters at any time. Typhoon shelters serve as sheltering facilities for local vessels to take refuge during typhoons and inclement weather. According to the records of the Marine Department, the highest occupancy of the TKWTS reached 100 per cent during the passage of Typhoon Ragasa last year.
 
     The TKWTS is located at the centre of Hong Kong waters and near the urban area, making it very convenient for working vessels at berth to support the marine works and major events at sea in different districts. As Hong Kong will have ongoing marine works such as the expansion of the Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter and major events at sea in the future, the TKWTS and the working vessels at berth therein play an indispensable role in supporting marine works and operations, as well as transporting large modular components and bulk items.
      
     Regarding the proposal to relocate the barge berths at the TKWTS, in view of the current usage of the typhoon shelter, if the vessel berths at the TKWTS were to be relocated, a suitable site would first have to be identified for providing new berths. This is to ensure that sufficient sheltered berthing spaces are provided within Hong Kong waters for the safety of local vessels during inclement weather and to prevent disruption to efficient port operations.
 
(5) The CSTB states that it will continue to make better use of the harbourfront promenades and water bodies to create more mega events and tourism experiences, such as the “Water Parade” and “Merry Balloon Hong Kong” along Victoria Harbour last year. The Hong Kong Tourism Board also organises the Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival in Central Harbourfront Event Space and Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races along the Tsim Sha Tsui East promenade every year. In addition, the GreenWay in the KTDA for shared use by pedestrians and cyclists has been gradually opened to the public, and can create synergy effect with the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, giving cruise passengers more options for shore excursion in the nearby area.
 
     In fact, the concerned harbourfront sections in Kowloon are home to a number of landmarks attracting many visitors, including the Kai Tak Sports Park, the museum cluster in Tsim Sha Tsui, the WKCD, etc. In addition, the waterfront sites therein to be opened this year include the harbourfront event space at the former Hung Hom Railway Freight Yard Pier site as well as the pedestrian walkway linking the WKCD and Tai Kok Tsui. The former will offer visitors with panoramic views of Victoria Harbour and the stunning skyline of Hong Kong Island, while the latter will help bring visitors to the harbourfront along Cheung Sha Wan and enhance accessibility to the WKCD. In the long run, we plan to develop the sites around Hung Hom Station and waterfront areas into a new waterfront landmark combining tourism, entertainment and leisure elements, as well as to construct yacht berthing facilities and provide water-based leisure facilities etc., enhancing the appeal of Victoria Harbour for visitors.
      
     We will continue to follow a pragmatic development approach that is beneficial to the community in order to provide residents and tourists with more harbourfront spaces and facilities, making waterfront activities more diverse and showcasing the vitality and vibrancy of Victoria Harbour.
Issued at HKT 18:55

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LCQ13: Youth training and development 
     The Chief Executive announced in the 2025 Policy Address that, to broaden the international horizons of Hong Kong young people and cultivate their holistic outlook, the Government will launch the Youth Talent Training Programme and a new media thematic internship programme on the Mainland, strengthen the Youth Financial Education Programme, and launch new mediation workshops to enhance young people’s understanding of the mediation industry. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) of the specific details and preparatory progress of the Youth Talent Training Programme and the media thematic internship programme on the Mainland; whether monitoring and evaluation mechanisms have been established for these two programmes to ensure their effectiveness; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
 
(2) since the launch of the Youth Financial Education Programme in May 2024, of the specific measures and activities the Government has implemented to enhance young people’s financial literacy and assist them in establishing good habits for managing personal finances; of the details of the deepened programme and the implementation timetable; and
 
(3) of the details and preparatory progress of the new mediation workshops launched for young people; whether follow-up support measures have been formulated to assist the continuous development of young people interested in joining mediation-related industries? 
     The reply to the question raised by the Hon Leung Man-kwong is as follows:
 
(1) As announced by the Chief Executive in his 2025 Policy Address, to better equip our young people, broaden their international horizons and cultivate a holistic outlook, the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB) would launch the Young Talent Training Programme (YTTP). The programme includes the following specific initiatives: (i) providing more opportunities for young people to participate in the internships of international organisations and attend international conferences, thereby enabling them to widen their international perspectives and develop holistic views; (ii) launching a new media thematic internship programme on the Mainland to provide opportunities for young people studying communication to undertake internships at a major media organisation on the Mainland, thereby helping them broaden their media horizons and deepen their understanding of national development; (iii) deepening the Youth Financial Education Programme (YFEP) launched in 2024 to provide young people with information on the financial sector and financial planning, so as to enhance their understanding of the financial market; and (iv) launching a brand new workshop on mediation to enable young people to acquire basic mediation concepts and knowledge, thereby strengthening their understanding of mediation services as well as the mediation industry.
 
     Among these, the HYAB is currently preparing to launch a new media thematic internship programme on the Mainland under the HYAB Thematic Youth Internship Programmes to the Mainland. The programme will target post-secondary students studying communication-related disciplines and provide them with internship opportunities at a leading media organisation on the Mainland. Through internship, students will be able to gain an in-depth understanding of the media landscape, industry operations and development trends on the Mainland. It aims to cultivate young talent with enhanced understanding of the country’s development and a professional media perspective. The programme is expected to be held in July this year for a period of three weeks, offering 16 internship placements in areas such as programme production, creative media and new media application. Details of the programme will be announced in March. 
      
     As always, the HYAB will closely monitor the implementation of the YTTP through, for example, sending representatives to attend activities as observers, collecting feedback from stakeholders by questionnaire, and/or attending debriefings and sharing sessions of participants, in order to monitor the programme’s effectiveness.
 
(2) In 2024, the HYAB and the Investor and Financial Education Council (IFEC) jointly launched the pilot YFEP at youth hostels under the Youth Hostel Scheme, providing youth tenants with financial planning and counselling services as well as information on financial management, saving and investment that suits their individual needs, thereby assisting them to develop effective financial management plans.
 
     Since its launch in 2024, the pilot YFEP has offered story-telling sessions on financial management, interactive learning activities and a series of online resources, aiming to help youth tenants customise their own financial plans and goals and establish good habits of managing personal finances and investment.
      
     According to the feedback collected from youth participants, a majority of them agreed that the activities and information provided under the pilot YFEP helped deepen their knowledge of financial management. In view of this, the HYAB has started to enhance the YFEP in 2025 by expanding the programme to cover other newly launched youth hostels and the Youth Link as the first step. Apart from the IFEC, the HYAB has also invited the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) Schemes Authority to work together to enhance the YFEP by providing young people with information on the financial sector and financial planning that better suits their needs, thereby supporting their personal development and cultivating more talents for society.
      
     Under the YFEP, 14 story-telling sessions on financial management have been organised, covering topics such as financial planning, investment, credit and risks, MPF management and information on the financial sector, with experts sharing their knowledge and insights about financial management and the financial sector among youth participants. Moreover, 11 issues of digital newsletters have been published to date, providing young people with information on financial management and various personal financial management tools.
 
(3) To proactively consolidate and implement Hong Kong’s development of “eight centres” as outlined in the 14th Five-Year Plan to establish Hong Kong as a centre for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region, together with the establishment of the headquarters of the International Organization for Mediation in Hong Kong, the HYAB has launched a new series of mediation workshops to enable young people to acquire basic concepts and knowledge of mediation, thereby enhancing their understanding of mediation services and the mediation industry as well as fostering the mediation culture. The HYAB has worked with the Joint Mediation Helpline Office to organise a number of mediation workshops at secondary schools and youth hostels starting from December 2025 to enable young people to learn about mediation services and opportunities brought by “eight centres” for the industry, so as to nurture mediation talents for Hong Kong and the country. As at end-January 2026, around 400 young people have already attended these workshops. The HYAB will review the workshops’ content and arrangement in a timely manner taking into account the feedback of participants, with a view to helping young people develop their professional competence and equip themselves early for their future career pursuits.
Issued at HKT 18:45

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Hospital Authority welcomes 2026-27 Budget      
     Mr Fan expressed his gratitude to the Government for the continuous increase to the subvention for the HA in order to support the enhancement of public healthcare services. The Public Healthcare Fees and Charges Reform has been fully implemented and has shown initial success. The HA will continue to make optimal use of resources and ensure their proper allocation so that public resources are used effectively to promote the sustainable development of public healthcare services. Enhancing healthcare protection for the “poor, acute, serious, critical” patients on all fronts will ensure that the resources of the public healthcare system can be directed in a targeted manner to help those patients most in need, and fulfil the healthcare system’s role as a safety net.
      
     Mr Fan said, “With the staunch support of our nation and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, the HA will continue to strengthen its services to provide patients with timely treatment and care. The HA will continue to strive to provide high-quality medical services to the public. The HA is conducting accreditation for various public hospitals, and is setting up a third stroke centre in accordance with national accreditation standards.”
      
     The HA Chief Executive, Dr Libby Lee, thanked the HKSAR Government for supporting the continuous enhancement of public hospital services. “The HA will continue to strengthen its service capacity to meet the needs of the community, which includes enhancing service quality, streamlining processes, reducing patient waiting times and optimising hospital environments. The HA is committed to provide patient-centred clinical services with warmth, so that patients could receive appropriate medical treatment in a well-maintained environment,” said Dr Lee.   
      
     The HA will continue to execute various measures for the sustainable development of public healthcare and align with the policy on primary healthcare, including the enhancement of Family Medicine Integrated Centres and Family Medicine Clinics in different districts. In the coming financial year, over 200 additional public hospital beds will be opened and continuous improvements will be made to specialist out-patient clinics and radiology services, as well as the provision of additional operating theatre sessions. Meanwhile, ophthalmology services will also be strengthened by increasing the service capacity of cataract, eye surgery and other treatment procedures.
      
     The HA will reinforce holistic care for cancer patients utilising AI to improve the accuracy and efficiency of cancer diagnoses, and increasing cancer-related genetic and genomic testing. The HA will provide fast-track diagnostic services to patients with suspected lung cancer and implement a cancer case manager programme to provide timely treatment tailored to patient needs. Additionally, the HA will continue to enhance palliative and end-of-life care services to enable terminally ill patients to die with dignity.
      
     Mr Fan and Dr Lee once again thanked the HKSAR Government for its support of public healthcare services. The HA will utilise the subvention properly and strive to implement relevant measures for the benefit of patients.
Issued at HKT 18:10

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LCQ4: Combating bid-rigging 
Question:
 
     Bid-rigging in building maintenance has been a long-standing problem. Studies show that bid-rigging costs Hong Kong society between $4 billion and $25 billion every year. Therefore, there are views that it is crucial to strengthen and improve the supervision of building management and maintenance, as well as enhance market competition, regulation and transparency. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) whether it has compiled statistics on the total number of reports and complaints received by the Independent Commission Against Corruption, the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) and the Competition Commission about suspected bid-rigging in residential building maintenance works in each of the past five years, and among these, the number of cases found to be substantiated, and the number of cases in respect of which prosecutions were instituted (together with the amount involved in the works of each of such cases) (set out in a table);
 
(2) as it is learnt that at present many owners are unable to attend owners’ meetings in person for certain reasons, whether the Government will, by drawing on the experience of regions such as Singapore, explore establishing an official electronic voting platform in “iAM Smart” and introducing online owners’ meetings requiring real-name attendance, so that owners will be allowed to choose their preferred means of participating in meetings and cast their own votes electronically, so as to facilitate better participation by owners in building management matters and decision-making;
 
(3) given that bid-rigging is a criminal offence in many countries and regions, whereas currently in Hong Kong bid-rigging, being merely civil in nature, is regulated under the Competition Ordinance (Cap. 619), with violating individuals or enterprises facing fines only, whether the authorities will consider drawing on the experience of other countries and regions to criminalize bid-rigging and increase the penalties to enhance deterrence; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
 
(4) of the detailed division of responsibilities among and respective duties of departments such as the Home Affairs Department, the Buildings Department, the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department, the Hong Kong Fire Services Department and the HKPF in combating bid-rigging; how the Government will strengthen the regulatory roles of various departments in the maintenance of residential buildings in order to eradicate bid-rigging?
 
Reply:

President,      
     Having consulted the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau (CEDB), the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB), the Security Bureau, the CC, the ICAC, and the URA, our reply to the various parts of the question is as follows:
 
(1) In the past five years, the number of corruption complaints received by the ICAC involving suspected bid-rigging in building maintenance works (Note) is tabulated below. Over the past five years, the ICAC mounted multiple large-scale enforcement operations in respect of corruption cases involving building maintenance works, and arrested a total of 138 persons. Details of these major operations are provided in the Annex.