Farewell funded by pooled contributions | Wong Tai Sin DO apologises “for perception” after accepting 43-table banquet from district figures
夾錢歡送｜被揭接受地區人士筵開43席 黃大仙DO「為觀感」致歉：大家祝福我已收到！
“I have received everyone’s blessings.” In his apology, he did not forget to mention the “blessings” from district figures who had pooled money for his farewell. This was Wong Tai Sin District Officer Philip Chi Wah Wong’s response today (25th) to the “farewell banquet” incident, posted through the Home Affairs Department’s Facebook page, in which he apologised for “the issue of perception”. Before Philip Chi Wah Wong left for Beijing for further study, district figures pooled money to hold a 43-table farewell banquet for him last night (24th). The incident prompted concern over whether civil servants should accept hospitality on such a scale. Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak Mei-kuen responded to the incident today, saying “there really was no need to spend so much” four times. She said the officer would certainly declare the matter in accordance with the rules. The Civil Service Bureau said it would not comment on individual cases, but that generally speaking, hospitality itself was not a benefit; however, civil servants should not accept hospitality that was excessively generous, lavish or frequent.
「大家的祝福我都已經收到。」在致歉時，他不忘提及地區人士「夾錢歡送」的「祝福」。這是黃大仙民政專員黃智華，今日（25日）透過民政事務總署的Facebook專頁，對「歡送飯局」事件的回應，為「觀感上的問題」表達歉意。 黃智華赴京進修前，昨（24日）晚接受地區人士夾錢筵開43席歡送，事件令人關注公務員應否接受如此規格的宴請。民政及青年事務局局長麥美娟今日回應事件時，四度說：「真係唔使咁破費」，她指專員必會按守則申報。公務員事務局回覆指，不評論具體個案，一般而言，款待本身並非利益，惟公務員不應接受過分慷慨、豐厚或頻密的款待。