29 Aug 2023獨媒#8287
Leung Chun-ying responds to Ip Kwok-him without naming him: “Do those eating for free know the official’s achievements?”
黃大仙民政專員黃智華歡送晚宴，逾500人出席，事件引起牽然大波。前行政會議成員葉國謙今早在一個電台節目表示，官員獲500人歡送不易，反映受歡迎，不應被過份指責。日前撰文批評建制派主禮活動「娛樂圈化」、浮誇浪費的前行政長官梁振英，在Facebook不點名回應，指出席人數「正正是問題所在」，會導致互相攀比，反問「100人出席是否要貶職」。他又質疑，當晚出席的人士中有多少是自己付款，「白食的知道歡送的官員的政績嗎？」
More than 500 people attended a farewell dinner for Wong Tai Sin District Officer Philip Chi Wah Wong, sparking widespread controversy. Former Executive Council member Ip Kwok-him said on a radio programme this morning that it was not easy for an official to receive a farewell from 500 people, which reflected the official’s popularity and should not attract excessive criticism. Former chief executive Leung Chun-ying, who recently wrote that pro-establishment camp events had become “like the entertainment industry” and were ostentatious and wasteful, responded without naming anyone in a Facebook post. He said the number of attendees was “precisely the problem”, as it would lead to mutual comparisons, and asked whether an official should be demoted if 100 people attended. He also questioned how many of those present that evening had paid for themselves, asking: “Do those eating for free know the official’s achievements?”
28 Aug 2023獨媒#8270
Home Affairs Department contacted Fai Wong three times; owner says “all I received were instructions” and there was no choice to decide for himself
位於上環半山的輝煌快餐店，其外牆逾二十多年的「黃帽工人」塗鴉，早前被指涉《港區國安法》要求移除。民政及青年事務局局長麥美娟曾指，民政處只是「友善提醒」 ，若店主不同意塗鴉令人聯想起「港獨」或「黑暴」，「其實佢哋可以決定唔處理㗎」。快餐店東主何先生在一個電台節目指，民政處曾三度與他接觸，但據自己的理解，就不存在自行決定的選擇，「基本上都係叫指示」。他又指，處方沒有詢問他是否同意有關聯想，對於塗鴉觸犯哪條法例，處方「都無列到出嚟同解釋到」，還「客氣」稱，「為咗你哋好，都唔想你哋有機會犯法」。
The “yellow-hatted worker” graffiti that had been on the exterior wall of Fai Wong Fast Food Shop in the Mid-Levels of Sheung Wan for more than 20 years was earlier said to have been requested for removal in connection with the Hong Kong National Security Law. Secretary for Home and Youth Mak Mei-juen previously said the Home Affairs Department had merely issued a “friendly reminder”, and that if the owner disagreed that the graffiti evoked “Hong Kong independence” or “black-clad violence”, “they could actually decide not to deal with it”. The fast-food shop’s owner, Mr Ho, said on a radio programme that the department had contacted him three times. Based on his understanding, however, there was no choice to decide for himself, as “basically, all [he received] were instructions”. He also said the department had not asked whether he agreed with the alleged associations, had neither specified nor explained which law the graffiti breached, and had “courteously” said: “For your own good, we don’t want you to have a chance to break the law.”
28 Aug 2023法庭線#8275
Glory Mai Seen accused of breaching industrial building use; Bernadette Linn: A lease breach is a lease breach
黃店「光榮飲食」旗下位於觀塘駱駝漆大廈的食肆「光榮米線」，上月被地政總署指違反契約用途，要求3個星期內停業，並於明日前糾正違契用途，否則釘契。不過，有多間位於該大廈的食肆稱未有收到有關信件。發展局局長甯漢豪今日出席一個活動後指，「違契就係違契」，不能夠因為同類單位未收到信件，便稱地政處「做得唔啱」，「我哋唔可能有咁樣嘅思考嘅」。她指，在同一工廈的相關業務會陸續收件，強調地政總署會依法辦事。
The restaurant Glory Mai Seen, operated by the yellow shop Glory Catering in Camel Paint Building, Kwun Tong, was accused by the Lands Department last month of breaching the permitted use under its lease. It was required to cease operations within three weeks and rectify the breach by tomorrow, or otherwise face lease enforcement action. However, several restaurants in the building said they had not received the relevant letter. Speaking after attending an event today, Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn said, “A lease breach is a lease breach,” and said it was not possible to claim that the Lands Department had acted improperly simply because similar units had not received letters. She said the relevant businesses in the same industrial building would receive the letters in due course, stressing that the Lands Department would act in accordance with the law.
27 Aug 2023獨媒#8268
John Lee: Officials can be supported in simple ways, such as writing letters, sending emails and patting them on the shoulder
特首李家超在施政報告地區諮詢會後見記者，主動談及黃大仙民政事務專員黃智華被質疑接受款待一事。他指歡送宴由民間籌辦，本意是好的，但引起負面觀感，相信各方面都汲取了教訓，大家應以此為鑑，未來可以更簡單直接的方法表達支持官員，例如寫信、電郵和見面時拍拍肩頭：「其實都係好好嘅。」
Chief Executive John Lee spoke to reporters after a district consultation session on the Policy Address and voluntarily addressed questions over whether Wong Tai Sin District Officer Philip Chi Wah Wong had accepted hospitality. He said the farewell banquet was organised by members of the public and had good intentions, but had created a negative impression. He believed all sides had learned a lesson and should take this as a warning. In future, people could express their support for officials in simpler and more direct ways, such as writing letters, sending emails and patting them on the shoulder when meeting them: “Actually, these are all very good.”
26 Aug 2023獨媒#8263
District Officer’s Farewell Banquet Raises Concern Over Hospitality; Leung Chun-ying: Curb Ostentation and Waste
黃大仙民政事務專員黃智華將於9月到北京深造，區內各界舉辦歡送會，筵開40多席，被質疑是否接受款待。民政及青年事務局長麥美娟昨日回應事件稱歡送會反映黃智華的工作得到地區人士認同，民主黨主席羅健熙憂拍馬屁文化將會越演越烈，批麥美娟的言論變相鼓勵其他人為官員舉辦同類晚宴；前特首梁振英亦發文斥建制社團浮誇浪費。
Philip Chi Wah Wong, the Wong Tai Sin District Officer, will go to Beijing for further studies in September. Organisations and groups in the district held a farewell banquet with more than 40 tables, prompting questions about whether hospitality had been accepted. Alice Mak Mei-juen, Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, said yesterday that the banquet reflected district residents’ recognition of Philip Chi Wah Wong’s work. Lo Kin-hei, chairman of the Democratic Party, expressed concern that a culture of sycophancy would intensify, criticising Mak’s remarks as effectively encouraging others to hold similar dinners for officials. Former Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying also posted a statement criticising pro-establishment organisations for ostentation and waste.
26 Aug 2023獨媒#8264
Lam Ting-kwok lists Ted Hui’s offences, saying the public can judge his character
律政司司長林定國今早在北京總結訪問行程，被問到遭國安處通緝的前立法會議員許智峯，日前獲得澳洲律師資格。林定國就喚記者應參考客觀事實，並如數家珍羅列許智峯被香港法庭定罪的罪名：「呢位人士嘅品格究竟係點樣呢？我諗係公道自在人心。」
Secretary for Justice Lam Ting-kwok, concluding his visit in Beijing this morning, was asked about former Legislative Council member Ted Hui, who is wanted by the National Security Department and recently obtained an Australian legal qualification. Lam urged reporters to refer to the objective facts and listed the offences for which Hui had been convicted by Hong Kong courts: “What is this person’s character really like? I think the public can judge for themselves.”
26 Aug 2023集誌社#8265
Pooling money to bid farewell | 500 attend, $200,000 spent; dinner organiser revealed — Government: hospitality was not a benefit
黃大仙民政專員黃智華即將赴京進修，地區人士昨晚（24日）夾錢筵開43席歡送，事件令人關注公務員應否接受如此規格的宴請。民政及青年事務局及民政事務總署發言人回覆指，當晚在九龍灣宏天廣場百樂門國際宴會廳舉行晚宴，由九龍社團聯會的地區委員會統籌，約500人參與，跟過往黃大仙區歡送民政事務專員的晚宴人數相若，晚宴不涉及任何公帑。
九龍社團聯會黃大仙地區委員會主任何漢文接受《集誌社》訪問時表示，未清楚是次活動的花費實數，估計是 20 萬元左右。他說：「如果有官員受市民擁戴，我覺得我地相信會繼續，而形式值得思考」。
Wong Tai Sin District Officer Philip Chi Wah Wong is soon to travel to Beijing for further studies. District人士 pooled money to hold a 43-table farewell banquet last night (the 24th), attended by about 500 people, prompting concern over whether civil servants should accept hospitality on such a scale. A spokesperson for the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau and the Home Affairs Department said the banquet was held at the Palazzo International Banquet Hall at MegaBox in Kowloon Bay and coordinated by the district committee of the Kowloon Federation of Associations. Attendance was comparable to that at previous farewell banquets for Wong Tai Sin District Officers, and the banquet did not involve any public funds.
Hon Man Ho, chairman of the Wong Tai Sin District Committee of the Kowloon Federation of Associations, told The Collective that he was unclear about the exact cost of the event, estimating it at around $200,000. He said: “If officials enjoy the support of the public, I believe we will continue doing so, although the format is worth considering.”
26 Aug 2023獨媒#8266
Leung Chun-ying Criticises Extravagant Farewell for District Officer; Alice Mak Says It Has Reference Value
黃大仙民政事務專員黃智華將離任到北京深造，區內各界舉辦歡送會，筵開40多席。民政及青年事務局長麥美娟今日再重申各界不用「咁大陣仗，咁破費」，對於前特首梁振英發文斥聯歡晚會浮誇浪費，令社會嘩然，又指事件只屬冰山一角，麥美娟指其批評有參考價值，重申專員工作得到認同，「老實講，做得唔好你都唔會見到佢有人歡送啦。」
Wong Tai Sin District Officer Philip Chi Wah Wong is leaving office to pursue further studies in Beijing, and various sectors in the district held a farewell gathering with more than 40 banquet tables. Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak reiterated today that there was no need for the event to be “so elaborate and so costly”. In response to former Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying’s post criticising the farewell gala as ostentatious and wasteful, which caused public uproar, and saying the incident was only the tip of the iceberg, Mak said his criticism had reference value. She reiterated that the officer’s work had received recognition, saying, “To be honest, if the work had not been done well, you wouldn’t have seen people holding a farewell for him.”
25 Aug 2023光傳媒#8254
Hong Kong and Macao Research Projects Halved This Year, Funding Slashed, Focus on Capitalism’s “Deep-Seated Contradictions”
每年全國港澳研究會撥款進行的「港澳研究項目」，都會被視為中央對港澳未來工作的「風向標」之一，今月初公布6個研究課題，其中有關港澳資本主義的「深層次矛盾」研究，獲最高20萬元人民幣（下同）資助額。《光傳媒》翻查全國港澳研究會資料，發現今年度比2021年度研究項目數量減少超過一半，總研究資助額亦大幅下降逾138萬元人民幣。
The Hong Kong and Macao research projects funded annually by the National Hong Kong and Macao Studies Association are regarded as one of the “indicators” of the central authorities’ future work on Hong Kong and Macao. Six research topics were announced early this month, including a study of the “deep-seated contradictions” of capitalism in Hong Kong and Macao, which received the highest funding of 200,000 yuan (RMB; same below). Light Media reviewed data from the association and found that the number of research projects this year had fallen by more than half compared with 2021, while total research funding had also dropped sharply by more than 1.38 million yuan.
25 Aug 2023明報#8255
LCSD Invites Organisations to Submit Avenue of Stars Management Proposals, Adds National Security Clause
政府2004年起委託新世界旗下星光大道管理有限公司，負責尖沙嘴星光大道的管理、營運和保養工作，20年委託期明年4月屆滿。康文署昨公布文件，邀請非牟利機構提交建議書，未來15年承接管理星光大道。毗連的梳士巴利花園現由康文署管理，日後亦連同星光大道一併委託非牟利機構負責。康文署在邀請文件訂明，日後營運者要自負盈虧、維持對公眾免費開放；署方亦加入維護國家安全條款，如合理相信招標者從事的行為有可能危害國安，可取消資格。
Since 2004, the Government has commissioned Avenue of Stars Management Limited, a subsidiary of New World, to manage, operate and maintain the Avenue of Stars in Tsim Sha Tsui. The 20-year commission will expire next April. The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced yesterday that it is inviting non-profit organisations to submit proposals to take over management of the Avenue of Stars for the next 15 years. The adjoining Salisbury Garden, currently managed by the department, will also be entrusted to a non-profit organisation together with the Avenue of Stars. The invitation document stipulates that the future operator must operate on a self-financing basis and keep the facilities open to the public free of charge. The department has also added a national security clause, under which a tenderer may be disqualified if there are reasonable grounds to believe that its activities could endanger national security.
Translations are supplied by the source workbook. Consult the original reporting for context.
