MIL Asia Pacific Publishing Engine

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Immigration Department (ImmD) mounted a series of territory-wide anti-illegal worker operations codenamed “Swordfish” for five consecutive days from February 5 to 9, targeting foreign domestic helpers who breached their conditions of stay. A total of 14 persons, including seven suspected illegal workers and seven suspected employers, were arrested.

     During the operations, ImmD investigators raided 22 target locations, including restaurants, retail shops, beauty centres, hair salons, fitness centres, guesthouses, commercial buildings and residential building units. The arrested suspected illegal workers comprised seven women, aged 22 to 55. Among them, five persons were current helpers, one person was an overstaying ex-helper, and one person was a holder of recognizance form, which prohibits her from taking any employment in Hong Kong. The suspected illegal workers were performing as salon assistants or sales or taking up cleaning duties and household work at places other than their contractual address. Meanwhile, seven suspected employers, comprising two men and five women aged 39 to 69, were owners or persons-in-charge of the companies and restaurants involved. A copy of a forged Hong Kong identity card was also found during the operation. Relevant cases are still under investigation, and the ImmD does not rule out the possibility of further arrests.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Court of First Instance of the High Court today (February 9) handed down sentences for Lai Chee-ying and the other eight defendants, as well as three companies relating to Apple Daily in respect of their convictions of a total of three charges of offences endangering national security. The total sentence for Lai Chee-ying was imprisonment for 20 years. As for the other eight defendants, their imprisonment terms ranged from six years and three months to 10 years. The three companies relating to Apple Daily were each sentenced to a fine of HK$3,004,500.

     The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, said, “Lai Chee-ying has committed numerous heinous crimes, and his evil deeds were beyond measure. The severe sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment imposed on him manifests that the rule of law is upheld and justice is done, and also brings great relief to all. Lai Chee-ying had long used Apple Daily to poison the minds of our citizens, by inciting hatred, distorting facts, deliberately stirring up social antagonism and glorifying violence. He had openly begged for external forces to impose sanctions against China and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), sacrificing the well-being of the people of China and the HKSAR. He betrayed our country and harmed Hong Kong, causing damage to the interests of our country and the HKSAR. His conviction is supported by overwhelming evidence, and he for sure deserves his punishment after all the harm he has done.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Court of First Instance of the High Court today handed down sentences for Lai Chee-ying and the other eight defendants, as well as three companies relating to Apple Daily in respect of their convictions of a total of three charges of offences endangering national security.

The total sentence for Lai Chee-ying was imprisonment for 20 years. As for the other eight defendants, their imprisonment terms ranged from six years and three months to 10 years. The three companies relating to Apple Daily were each sentenced to a fine of $3,004,500.

Chief Executive John Lee said Lai Chee-ying has committed numerous heinous crimes and his evil deeds were beyond measure. Mr Lee added that the severe sentence imposed on Lai Chee-ying manifests that the rule of law is upheld and justice is done, and also brings great relief to all.

“Lai Chee-ying had long used Apple Daily to poison the minds of our citizens, by inciting hatred, distorting facts, deliberately stirring up social antagonism and glorifying violence. He had openly begged for external forces to impose sanctions against China and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, sacrificing the well-being of the people of China and the Hong Kong SAR. He betrayed our country and harmed Hong Kong, causing damage to the interests of our country and the Hong Kong SAR. His conviction is supported by overwhelming evidence, and he for sure deserves his punishment after all the harm he has done,” Mr Lee said.

“Lai Chee-ying’s malicious acts endangering national security have harmed the interests of our country and the Hong Kong SAR, as well as the interests of our citizens. The court, after 156 days of fair and impartial public hearings and having considered the irrefutable evidence of up to 2,220 exhibits, over 80,000 pages of documents and statements of evidence from 14 prosecution witnesses, concluded that Lai Chee-ying was the mastermind behind those anti-China and destabilising activities. His acts are despicable and shameless,” he added.

The Chief Executive also pointed out that the conviction of the heinous crimes committed by Lai Chee-ying was the first convicted case of the offence of collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security since the promulgation and implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law (HKNSL).

“This marks an important milestone in the Hong Kong SAR’s efforts to safeguard national security, manifesting the role of the HKNSL as a key stabilising force. This case also admonishes that villains who endanger national security could never escape the sanctions of the law and would surely be severely punished in accordance with the law. The Hong Kong SAR will continue to steadfastly safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests.”

Mr Lee also remarked that Hong Kong as a whole has already paid a heavy price as some of the Hong Kong citizens, especially young people, have been misled to break the law and become radical and violent.

As of the end of last year, more than 2,400 individuals have been held accountable for unlawful acts during the period of “black-clad violence”. 

The Hong Kong SAR Government said the court pointed out clearly in its verdict handed down earlier that Lai Chee-ying was the mastermind of the case, adding that he had manipulated and exploited Apple Daily to poison society, and repeatedly colluded with external forces to beg for sanctions and hostile activities against the Central Authorities and the Hong Kong SAR Government.

It added that Lai Chee-ying’s malicious plot spanned across both the periods before and after the promulgation of the HKNSL.

The Hong Kong SAR Government noted that Lai Chee-ying’s intent was to collude with external forces to harm the interests of China and the Hong Kong SAR, as well as those of Hong Kong citizens. It added that Lai Chee-ying also shamelessly acted as a pawn of external forces to endanger national security.

After hearing the submissions of the defendants on sentencing in the hearings of January 12 and 13, the court provided a detailed account of its considerations in every respect in its reasons for the sentence handed down today.

The court held that the offence of conspiracy to print, publish, sell, offer for sale, distribute, display and/or reproduce seditious publications in this case fell within the most serious category for its type, and the two offences of conspiracy to commit collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security fell within the category of offences of “a grave nature”.

The Hong Kong SAR Government stated that as the court pointed out in the reasons for the sentence, the offences took place at a time when Hong Kong had hardly recovered from the social turmoil caused by the anti-extradition law amendment bill movement.

It added that the conspiracies were meticulously planned, involved multiple parties, and were clearly premeditated. The conspiracies involved the use of online platforms and a large number of seditious articles, targeting both local and overseas audiences, and some criminal activities were even conducted outside the Hong Kong SAR. The conspiracies were persistent ones, resulting in many acts rather than a single incident.

The Hong Kong SAR Government also made it clear that after the enactment of the HKNSL, even though Lai Chee-ying’s requests for foreign countries to impose sanctions or blockades, or engage in other hostile activities became more implicit and subtle, the change was only in form rather than in substance, with all the defendants continuing with their agreement for some time until after they were arrested by Police.

It added that the sanctions imposed by foreign countries against the Hong Kong SAR, as well as against officials of China and the Hong Kong SAR have not been removed even up to today.

The Hong Kong SAR Government said it is wholly unrealistic to say that Lai Chee-ying and others’ activities were not a contributing cause.

It emphasised that the court unequivocally identified Lai Chee-ying as the mastermind and the driving force behind the conspiracies, which constituted an aggravating factor and therefore enhanced the starting point for his sentence.

The Government would forfeit the offence-related property of Lai Chee-ying in accordance with the law. It will also initiate the procedures pursuant to the Companies (Winding Up & Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance to have the three companies relating to Apple Daily struck off the Companies Register to safeguard national security.

Source: Government of Singapore

First-of-its-kind integrated industrial systems facility in Singapore to train 400 professionals and students annually

JOINT NEWS RELEASE BETWEEN NEA AND SIT

9 February 2026 – The Energy Efficiency Technology Centre (EETC), a collaboration between the National Environment Agency (NEA) and Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), opened its new Energy Efficiency Training Facility (EETF) at SIT Punggol Campus today. It was launched by Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment and Ministry of Education, Dr Janil Puthucheary. The new 430 square-metre facility features Singapore’s first integrated suite of industrial systems that provides practical training simulating real-world manufacturing conditions in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises.                                                                                       

New Energy Efficiency Training Facility is Singapore’s first to provide training within a real-world setting

2            The facility, the first of its kind in Singapore, houses comprehensive industrial systems including pump, compressed air, lighting, fan, electric motor, air-conditioning and mechanical ventilation, heat pump, boiler and steam trap. It also features an Energy Management System with simulation capabilities and real-time data collection, analysis, and monitoring. With the facility, participants can carry out energy efficiency assessments in a safe and controlled environment, without disrupting actual operations or incurring costly downtime. SIT students undergoing their Integrated Work Study Programme (IWSP) will also be able to work alongside EETC professionals at the facility to acquire practical energy audit skills.

3             The EETF also serves as a platform for applied research and digital innovation. SIT has entered into a Research Collaboration Agreement with Willowglen Services Pte Ltd to develop a Sustainability Reporting System for the new training facility. Leveraging operational data from industrial systems, the project enables real-time monitoring and analytics of energy consumption, carbon emissions and system performance, enhancing training and research outcomes. SIT students may also be involved as part of their coursework, reinforcing the integration of education, research and industry collaboration.

4             SIT President Professor Chua Kee Chaing said, “This training facility underscores SIT’s commitment to applied learning and industry-relevant education. As the first of its kind facility in Singapore’s tertiary landscape, it enables engineers, managers, technologists and engineering students involved in energy efficiency, decarbonisation and sustainability domains to gain authentic, hands-on experience using industrial systems typically found in the manufacturing sector. By bringing industry-grade systems in-house, learners will be able to benefit from more structured, scalable and immersive training, strengthening workforce readiness and supporting Singapore’s energy efficiency and decarbonisation efforts.”

Energy Efficiency Technology Centre steadily increasing support to build local industrial energy efficiency capabilities

5              With the new Energy Efficiency Training Facility, the EETC is expected to deliver an estimated 1,500 hours of practical and hands-on training annually, benefiting around 400 participants each year across its various programmes and outreach activities, including the Energy Efficiency Upskilling Programme (EEUP) and the Singapore Certified Energy Manager (SCEM) programme. Since the EETC’s inception in 2020, it has supported more than 50 companies with over 250 industrial systems assessed and has trained 100 students whilst upskilling more than 500 professionals through the EEUP. 

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Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Water Supplies Department (WSD) said that it has consistently fulfilled its regulatory and enforcement duties in accordance with the law regarding the water loss at Fairview Park.

In response to inaccurate claims made in a press release issued by the Fairview Park Small Owners’ Rights Association today, the WSD today issued a clarification to prevent public misunderstanding.

The WSD stated that because the leakage occurred within Fairview Park’s inside service, the department exercised its power under Section 7 of the Waterworks Ordinance to require the registered agent to rectify the problem.

However, the association has repeatedly and incorrectly claimed that the WSD is responsible for these services.

As the regulator, the WSD maintains that the association’s persistent demands for the department to inspect and replace water mains are based on a misrepresentation of the law, which the department said is completely out of order.

Furthermore, the WSD pointed out that under clause 42 of the special conditions of the land lease, the Government is only responsible for maintaining water mains if they were both laid by the Government and located beneath the roads surrendered to it.

The WSD noted that the majority of Fairview Park’s water mains were laid by the land’s grantee, making this clause inapplicable to these water mains. The WSD clarified that it only laid a small portion of the water mains beneath the roads at the estate’s entrance and the areas within the housing estate near the entrance.

These roads are still private land and have not been surrendered to the Government, the department said.

The WSD said that under Waterworks Ordinance Section 7, as well as the land lease, the customers or the registered agent are responsible for custody and maintenance of the water mains within Fairview Park.

Despite the WSD’s repeated explanations, the association has continued to misinterpret the land lease provisions, and the department urges it to stop disseminating inaccurate information.

To address residents’ concerns and resolve the water loss issue, the WSD has engaged an independent expert panel.

By leveraging advanced technology and expertise, the panel will provide third‑party advice to help the responsible parties plan effective repairs for the water mains.

The panel is accountable to the WSD and has begun its work, aiming to deliver preliminary findings by April.

The WSD said it will thoroughly consider advice from the panel when it plans follow-up actions, which include providing appropriate technical support for the owners and the management office.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Mr Lui has been divorced for three years and is raising two children on his own. Both children have attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and his son also suffers from dyslexia. Mr Lui quit his job to focus entirely on their daily care, but the immense pressure he faced took its toll and in a moment of distress, he resorted to physically disciplining his daughter.

“At first, I did not know they had attention deficit issues, and I felt quite helpless,” Mr Lui explained.

“That day, I had arranged a school activity for my daughter, so I woke her up at around 7am. But even after calling her, she kept dragging her feet.

“We were already running late and I did not want her to miss the activity, so in a moment of anger, I hit her with a clothes hanger. Looking back now, I know hitting her at that moment was completely pointless.”

Immediate guidance

After the Social Welfare Department’s Family & Child Protective Services Unit intervened, Mr Lui’s daughter was sent to stay with an emergency foster family, while he received counselling and other forms of support.

In order to strengthen assistance for families facing parenting difficulties or potential risks of child abuse, the department funded non-governmental organisations to establish six Child Protection Support Service Teams in March last year. The teams comprise professionals including social workers, psychologists and nurses, and handle cases referred by the department. By the end of September last year, they had handled 428 family cases.

Social Welfare Department Family & Child Protective Services Unit (Sha Tin) Social Work Officer Natalie Cheung explained that the services provided by the teams cover a wide range of needs, including home visitation support services, various group and training programmes, as well as family enrichment activities. The teams also accompany parents and their children to follow-up medical appointments when needed.

She highlighted that home visitation support is a key component of the service.

“While counselling usually takes place in an office setting, parents may not always find it easy to apply what they have learned at home. The teams can visit families to demonstrate and observe interactions on the spot, providing timely guidance.”

Rebuilding relationships

The support team taught Mr Lui appropriate ways to interact with his children. After six months of effort, his daughter was able to move back home. Team members also visited the family to help them declutter their living space together.

“I feel I am no longer on my own. Their support gave me the motivation to move forward,” Mr Lui revealed. “I understand my children better now and have learned how to communicate with them more effectively. As communication improves, our relationship becomes more comfortable for everyone.”

Strengthened measures

According to figures from the department, the number of newly registered child protection cases has shown a continuous increase over the past five years, from 940 cases in 2020 to 1,504 in 2024. In the first three quarters of 2025, 1,022 cases were recorded.

The Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Ordinance came into effect on January 20. Under the ordinance, 25 categories of specified professionals including social workers, teachers, doctors and clinical psychologists are required to make a report as soon as possible, if they have reasonable grounds to suspect that a child has suffered serious harm or faces a real risk of serious harm.

Social Welfare Department Family & Child Welfare Branch Chief Social Work Officer (Domestic Violence) Dora Yuen outlined that the Government has put in place a number of support measures in tandem with the ordinance.

“The manpower of the Family & Child Protective Services Unit has been increased, enabling the unit to receive and handle new reports more effectively.

“We have also introduced a new service, the Child Protection Support Service, to follow up on cases involving abused children and their families.”

She added that to support those children in need of residential care services, the Government will continue to allocate more resources to increase residential places, including setting up two new residential child care centres in Tuen Mun and Kwun Tong. Providing an additional 96 places, these two centres are expected to offer emergency residential care support for about 380 young children each year.