Author Archives: hksar gov

     The Highways Department today (December 24) signed a works contract with China State-AICL-CSCEL Joint Venture for Hiram’s Highway Improvement Stage 2 – Dualling of Hiram’s Highway from Marina Cove to Sai Kung Town.
 
     The contract primarily comprises the improvement of the sections of Hiram’s Highway between Marina Cove and Sai Kung Town, Po Tung Road and a section of Tai Mong Tsai Road, which introduces the early participation of a contractor in the design work to fully utilise the construction experience in designing and selecting the most cost-effective construction methods for the major parts of the project through the adoption of the New Engineering Contract Early Contractor Involvement option. The scope of works mainly comprises the widening of sections of Hiram’s Highway of approximately 3.5 kilometres in total length between Marina Cove and Sai Kung Town as well as a section of Po Tung Road of approximately 400 metres in length between Yau Ma Po Street and Fuk Man Road to dual two-lane carriageways, and improvement of a section of Po Tung Road and Tai Mong Tsai Road of approximately 600m in length between Fuk Man Road and Wai Man Road, upgrading it to a standard single two-lane carriageway. The forecast total contract sum is about $2.19 billion.
 
     The works contract includes detailed design and construction works, where the advance construction works will commence in 2025 concurrently when the detailed design is being carried out, with a target of commencing the road widening works in full swing in 2026 for phased completion, with the section at Tai Mong Tsai Road completed in about four years after the commencement of construction and the remaining sections at Po Tung Road and Hiram’s Highway subsequently completed in the following one to two years.
 
     Hiram’s Highway is the only major road connecting Sai Kung to East Kowloon and Tseung Kwan O. The improvement works will effectively relieve the existing traffic congestion at peak hours and cope with the anticipated traffic growth. It is estimated that upon completion of the works, the journey time from Sai Kung town centre to Clear Water Bay Road during peak hours will be reduced from about 35 to 40 minutes to about 20 minutes, which will not only make local residents’ travel more convenient, but also increase Sai Kung District’s capacity to receive visitors.

  

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Tuesday, December 24, 2024 is 107.5 (same as yesterday’s index). read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public to a press release issued by Bank of Singapore Limited relating to a fraudulent mobile application (App), which has been reported to the HKMA. A hyperlink to the press release is available on the HKMA website.
      
     The HKMA wishes to remind the public that banks will not send SMS or emails with embedded hyperlinks which direct them to the banks’ websites to carry out transactions. They will not ask customers for sensitive personal information, such as login passwords or one-time password, by phone, email or SMS (including via embedded hyperlinks).
      
     Anyone who has provided his or her personal information, or who has conducted any financial transactions, through or in response to the App concerned, should contact the bank using the contact information provided in the press release, and report the matter to the Police by contacting the Crime Wing Information Centre of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012. read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public to a press release issued by Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited relating to phishing instant messages, which have been reported to the HKMA. A hyperlink to the press release is available on the HKMA website.

     The HKMA wishes to remind the public that banks will not send SMS or emails with embedded hyperlinks which direct them to the banks’ websites to carry out transactions. They will not ask customers for sensitive personal information, such as login passwords or one-time password, by phone, email or SMS (including via embedded hyperlinks).

     Anyone who has provided his or her personal information, or who has conducted any financial transactions, through or in response to the instant messages concerned, should contact the bank using the contact information provided in the press release, and report the matter to the Police by contacting the Crime Wing Information Centre of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012. read more

     Hong Kong Customs on December 9 detected a suspected case of using an ocean-going vessel to smuggle goods to Malaysia at the Kwai Chung Container Terminals. A large batch of suspected smuggled printed circuit boards with an estimated market value of about $70 million was seized.

     Through intelligence analysis and risk assessment, Customs discovered that criminals intended to use ocean-going vessels to smuggle goods and thus formulated strategies to combat related activities.

     On December 9, Customs officers identified an ocean-going vessel preparing to depart from Hong Kong for Malaysia for inspection and seized a large batch of printed circuit boards inside two containers which were declared as containing mixed metal aboard the vessel.

     An investigation is ongoing. The likelihood of arrests is not ruled out.

     Customs is the primary agency responsible for tackling smuggling activities and has long been combating various smuggling activities on all fronts. Customs will keep up its enforcement action and continue to resolutely combat sea smuggling activities through proactive risk management and intelligence-based enforcement strategies, and carry out targeted anti-smuggling operations at suitable times to crack down on related crimes.

     Smuggling is a serious offence. Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years upon conviction.

     Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling 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).