The Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) held the inauguration ceremony for the Anti-Deception Alliance today (November 24).
      
     In response to the escalating trend of deception, the HKPF, in collaboration with the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and the banking industry, conducted a sharing session in April this year and devised multiple measures to strengthen the efforts to combat deception. One of the key initiatives was the establishment of a new joint platform, where representatives from 10 major banks will be assigned to work alongside officers of the Anti-Deception Coordination Centre (ADCC) under the purview of the Commercial Crime Bureau of the HKPF to provide real-time assistance to Police in addressing fraudulent activities. With the invaluable support and collective endeavours of the HKMA, the Hong Kong Association of Banks (HKAB) and the 10 participating banks, the Anti-Deception Alliance is officially established today, paving the way for a new chapter of public-private partnership between the HKPF and the banking industry.    
      
     The establishment of the Anti-Deception Alliance signifies the shared vision and unwavering commitment of the HKPF, the HKMA and the banking industry to combat deception, safeguard the financial interests of Hong Kong citizens and uphold the reputation of Hong Kong as an international financial hub. By implementing an instant, direct and effective communication mechanism between the HKPF and the banks, the Anti-Deception Alliance is dedicated to enhancing the capabilities and efficacy of both parties in the relentless fight against deception. The primary objectives and charters of the Anti-Deception Alliance include:
      
     1.    Expediting the processing of handling stop-payment requests to improve the efficacy of the mechanism.
      
     2.    Strengthening co-operation and co-ordination between the HKPF and the banks in the implementation of “Upstream Scam Intervention” mechanism, which entails promptly and proactively identifying and alerting potential victims of deception in an effort to intervene ongoing deception cases at the earliest stage and prevent the victims from suffering further financial losses.   
      
     3.    Enhancing strategic intelligence exchange between the HKPF and the banks to more effectively identify emerging fraudulent activities and their associated risks in order to facilitate the formulation and implementation of corresponding countermeasures to mitigate such risks.
      
     4.    Providing an interactive platform for the participating banks to facilitate the sharing of best practices in anti-deception strategies to establish a safer and more reliable financial environment.
      
     The inauguration ceremony was officiated by the Commissioner of Police, Mr Siu Chak-yee; Executive Director (Enforcement and AML) of the HKMA, Ms Carmen Chu; Acting Chairman of the HKAB, Mr Stephen Chan, and the representatives of the 10 participating banks (see Annex).
      
     In his address at the ceremony, Mr Siu emphasised the significant impact of rapid economic development and extensive application of technologies on the global rise in deception cases and financial losses. Hong Kong, as an international city, faces similar challenges. He stressed that the battle to effectively curb deception requires a collective effort from various stakeholders, as no single entity can tackle it alone. Mr Siu called upon all sectors of the society to embrace their social responsibilities, leverage their expertise and resources, strengthen co-operation, and jointly develop more strategic, proactive, and innovative measures. Such collaborative efforts would yield synergistic effects and enhance the overall effectiveness of anti-scam endeavours. He expressed his sincere hope for continuous collaboration with stakeholders across sectors, working together to prevent and combat deception, safeguard the financial interests of Hong Kong citizens, and uphold the esteemed reputation of Hong Kong as an international financial centre.
      
     Mr Siu also recognised the pivotal role played by the banking industry as an essential partner of the HKPF to prevent and combat deception. From the establishment of the Anti-Deception Coordination Centre in July 2017 to October 31 this year, a total of 864 deception cases identified by bank staff were successfully intervened, 700 fraudsters were arrested and illicit funds worth over $12.3 billion were intercepted as a result of the close collaboration with the banking industry. In addition, the HKPF has joined forces with the banking industry to implement “Upstream Scam Intervention” mechanism since May this year. By analysing suspicious bank accounts, proactively identifying potential victims of deception, and co-ordinating among the HKPF and the banks, potential victims are promptly contacted via phone calls, text messages, or the deployment of police officers to provide them with anti-deception advice. Since its implementation, a total of 320 ongoing deception cases were successfully intervened as of October 31.
      
     Mr Siu believed that, with the commencement of the Anti-Deception Alliance, robust partnerships and strong co-operation with the banking industry will be established. This, in turn, will further enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of stop-payment processing, facilitate timely scam intervention and accelerate intelligence exchange to reinforce the efficacy of enforcement actions.

          

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesman for Queen Mary Hospital made the following announcement today (November 24) regarding a hospital facility safety incident:
 
     At around 11:30am today, white smoke and a burning smell suddenly emerged from an air duct in the Medicine Ward on the 20th floor of Block K. The hospital immediately reported the case to the Police and arranged a total of 17 patients to transfer to another ward.
 
     Upon on-site inspection by the firemen, it was confirmed that there was no fire at the scene. After a preliminary investigation, it is believed that the incident was caused by an overheated v-belt in the exhaust fan at the rooftop plant room in Block K. The facility concerned was replaced on November 2. Thorough checking had been conducted by the contractor concerned at that time with no abnormalities found. The hospital will conduct a detailed analysis and investigation through various directions, including the materials used, installation process, system operation and environment factors on scene.
 
     The hospital had reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office via the Advance Incident Reporting System and will arrange for further inspections to ensure facility safety. No patients or staff were injured during the incident and patient services were not affected.

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (November 24) that a sample of bottled chili sauce was found to contain sulphur dioxide, a preservative which is allowed to be used in certain foods, but the name of the additive was not declared on the food label. Members of the public should not consume the affected batch of the product. The trade should also stop using or selling the affected batch of the product immediately if they possess it.

     Product details are as follows: 

Product name: SRIRACHA HOT CHILI SAUCE 
Manufacturer: HUY FONG FOODS, INC. USA
Place of origin: United States
Net weight: 255 grams
Distributor: H.K. Rice Merchants Enterprises Ltd.
Best-before date: July 12, 2025
     
     "The CFS collected the above-mentioned sample from a supermarket in Tin Hau for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. The test result showed that the sample contained sulphur dioxide. Although the sulphur dioxide level is below the maximum permitted level under the Preservatives in Food Regulation (Cap. 132BD), the name of the additive was not declared on the food label of the sample," a spokesman for the CFS said.

     "The CFS has informed the vendor concerned of the irregularities and instructed them to stop sale and remove from shelves the affected batch of the product. The vendor concerned has initiated a recall according to the CFS's instructions. Members of the public may call its hotline at 2340 0241 during office hours for enquiries about the recall," the spokesman added.

     Sulphur dioxide is a preservative which can be used in a variety of foods including dried vegetables, dried fruits, pickled vegetables and salted fish products. However, susceptible individuals who are allergic to this preservative may experience breathing difficulties, headache and nausea after consumption.

     The spokesman reminded the food trade that the use of preservatives in food must comply with the Preservatives in Food Regulation (Cap. 132BD). Furthermore, the Food and Drugs (Composition and Labelling) Regulations (Cap. 132W) require that for all prepackaged food for sale in Hong Kong containing sulphite in a concentration of 10 parts per million or more, the functional class of the sulphite and its name shall be specified in the list of ingredients. Offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and six months' imprisonment upon conviction.

     The CFS will alert the trade, continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action. Investigation is ongoing.
     

     The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, today (November 24) wrote to about 400 trade and industrial organisations in Hong Kong, including district trade and industrial organisations, government funded/statutory organisations as well as associations of small and medium enterprises, to call on business leaders to lead by example and cast their votes in the 2023 District Council (DC) Ordinary Election to be held on December 10. He also appealed to them to motivate their members to actively participate in the election and jointly fulfil civic duty.
 
     Mr Yau also called on business leaders and management personnel to put in place flexible arrangements for employees at work on the polling day to release them to cast their votes at their designated polling stations, so as to elect aspiring and capable DC members to serve the community.

     "As the first large-scale territory-wide election after reforming the DCs and improving the district governance system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), the election is of great significance. The new district governance structure and the DCs are closely connected to the happiness and well-being of every citizen; they also relate to the good governance, as well as the stability and prosperity of the HKSAR," Mr Yau said.

     Information on the 2023 DC Ordinary Election and the candidates is available at www.elections.gov.hk.

     ​Following is the speech by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, at the opening ceremony of deTour 2023 Design Festival today (November 24):
 
William (PMQ Executive Director, Mr William To), curators, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
 
     ​Good evening. I am very delighted to be here with you all to mark the opening of deTour 2023. Our bureau is pleased to be the lead sponsor of deTour since its inception, through Create Hong Kong. As an important concurrent event of the annual Business of Design Week, deTour has become a significant design event showcasing Hong Kong as an international creative hub.
 
     ​deTour has come to its 10th edition this year, with the theme of "New Know How – Crafting Design Future", allowing us to rethink different elements of design. I am thrilled to find out how the gifted designers carve out the future of design and create "New Craft" and, ultimately, propel social and economic growth.
 
     ​The curators of deTour bring together a selection of 20 exhibitions and installations from around the world and grouped into five new categories, namely New Value, Innovation, Craft Enhancement, Heritage and Storytelling. I am also glad to learn that many spectacular activities have been lined up. A series of workshops, designer dialogues, film screenings and guided tours will bring vibrancy to the community. 
 
     ​The Government is determined to foster the development of arts, culture and creative sectors in Hong Kong. As announced in "The Chief Executive’s 2023 Policy Address", Create Hong Kong will be restructured to be the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency focusing on proactively promoting the development of arts, culture and creative sectors under the industry-oriented principle. We will also inject a total of $2.9 billion to the CreateSmart Initiative to provide incentives for attracting private sector capital and expanding new markets.
 
     ​Looking ahead, I anticipate more cross-sectoral, cross-genre collaborations and events like deTour to engage designers and the creative community to experience the power of design, and also to showcase Hong Kong's uniqueness as the East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange. I also look forward to establishing various platforms for more creations of different parts of the world in Hong Kong and exchanging innovative ideas and knowledge on design and other cultures.
 
     ​On this note, I would like to announce the opening of deTour 2023, and congratulate PMQ for organising another successful edition of Hong Kong's premier design festival. My gratitude also goes to the curators and all exhibiting design units.
 
     ​deTour is an event for all. I wish all a wonderful and enjoyable experience at this event. Thank you.