6 h. ago Hong Kong’s procurement scandals a reminder constant vigilance is needed

Counterfeit bricks in MTR’s Tung Chung East station project, improperly sourced bottled water for government departments, substandard trainers for lifeguards – recent scandals in Hong Kong have aroused controversies rooted in the government’s public procurement process. Few Hongkongers have the vaguest idea of the scale of government procurement, even though it is everywhere around us. The Government Transparency Institute, which tries to monitor government procurement worldwide, estimates it...

Science

6 h. ago Big bucks in government procurement makes it a honeypot for corruption

Counterfeit bricks in MTR’s Tung Chung East station project, improperly sourced bottled water for government departments, substandard trainers for lifeguards – recent scandals in Hong Kong have aroused controversies rooted in the government’s public procurement process. Few Hongkongers have the vaguest idea of the scale of government procurement, even though it is everywhere around us. The Government Transparency Institute, which tries to monitor government procurement worldwide, estimates it...

Politics

37 h. ago To end Hong Kong’s procurement failures, overhaul civil service culture

Hong Kong’s bottled water procurement scandal has garnered widespread public attention. Beyond the immediate concerns over the process and contract management, it offers an opportunity to reflect more broadly on civil service culture. The episode should be viewed not only as a problem to resolve but also as an opportunity to promote attentiveness, ownership and flexibility in public administration. The 2025 tender awarded contracts mainly based on the lowest bid. Requirements were described as...

Events

9 d. ago Hong Kong authorities look into complaints over new shoes procured for lifeguards

Hong Kong authorities are looking into complaints about new government-supplied shoes after a lifeguard union received more than 100 reports of discomfort or foot injuries, becoming the second procurement issue to be raised in recent weeks. The Hong Kong and Kowloon Life Guard’s Union earlier revealed that the Leisure and Cultural Services Department had previously switched from shoes provided by global sportswear company Mizuno to a new, lesser-known brand called “JWS”, despite its...

Politics

2 w. ago ‘Tip of the iceberg?’: Hong Kong’s MTR Corp tile procurement deal under scrutiny

The MTR Corporation is facing growing pressure to investigate a subcontractor’s procurement of Chinese-made tiles for a rail project, instead of the contract-specified German ones, with a lawmaker describing the controversy as merely “the tip of the iceberg”. The rail operator confirmed on Monday that it had received complaints following a media report alleging that the contract for the Tung Chung East station project originally required the use of German-made “YTong” tiles. The subcontractor...

Economics

3 w. ago Hong Kong urged to expedite government accountability system after water scandal

A vague public apology and blaming a procedural “flaw” have failed to quell public discontent over the government’s water procurement scandal, political analysts have said, urging Hong Kong’s leader to accelerate developing a civil servant accountability system. Analysts made the call on Friday as the government told the Post that the central tender board, chaired by a permanent secretary of the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, had given the final approval to the bottled water...

Politics

3 w. ago Apology for Hong Kong water scandal not enough to stem public’s anger: experts

A vague public apology and blaming a procedural “flaw” have failed to quell public discontent over the government’s water procurement scandal, political analysts have said, urging Hong Kong leader John Lee Ka-chiu to accelerate developing a civil servant accountability system. Analysts made the call on Friday as the government said that the central tender board, chaired by the permanent secretary of the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, had given the final approval to the bottled water...

Science

3 w. ago Hong Kong logistics official admits system failed to detect water fraud

Hong Kong’s procurement system has failed to detect document fraud and authorities are taking immediate steps to strengthen it, the head of the logistics department has said, apologising to the public for the first time amid a growing water scandal. Treasury chief Hui Ching-yu, meanwhile, said on Thursday that his task force reviewing the system would provide a mid-term investigation report with suggested measures instead of waiting for the investigation to be completed in three months. After...

Politics

3 w. ago Bottled water brands seize on Hong Kong procurement scandal to promote products

Some bottled water brands in Hong Kong are taking advantage of a growing government procurement scandal to promote their products. Watsons Water posted on social media on Wednesday that its products were “safety and quality assured”, highlighting its strictly controlled production processes, which included multiple filtration and high-temperature distillation. The post received almost 380 reactions. Another local drinking water manufacturer, Swire Coca-Cola, posted on Facebook on Tuesday night...

Politics

3 w. ago Hong Kong centre takes legal action against firm involved in water scandal

A testing centre, where a Hong Kong lawmaker serves as a director, has taken legal action against a company suspected of procurement fraud for falsely claiming that the body had issued safety certificates for 1.88 million bottles of water supplied to government offices. The Hong Kong Standards and Testing Centre clarified on Wednesday that it had not provided any services to Xin Ding Xin Trade, the water supplier suspected of defrauding the government in the HK$52.9 million (US$6.8 million)...

Economics

3 w. ago Hong Kong man charged with fraud, wife bailed in water procurement scandal

A 61-year-old Hong Kong businessman has been remanded in custody after being charged with defrauding the government to secure a HK$52.9 million (US$6.8 million) contract for supplying drinking water to its offices. Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui Ching-yu acknowledged on Tuesday that there were “shortcomings” in the procurement deal and said a task force he chaired would meet this week for discussions. Police escorted Lui Tsz-chung, who claims to be a...

Politics

3 w. ago Pouring over the facts: what is behind Hong Kong’s water procurement scandal?

Hong Kong police have arrested a married couple suspected of being at the centre of a rapidly unfolding controversy surrounding a HK$52.9 million (US$6.8 million) contract to supply drinking water to some government offices. The pair allegedly defrauded the government and are suspected of breaching the Trade Descriptions Ordinance by providing false information about the product manufacturer. The unprecedented fiasco over the contract, which was among the first of its kind awarded to a mainland...

Politics

3 w. ago Couple arrested for fraud in HK$52.9 million Hong Kong water procurement scandal

Hong Kong police have arrested a married couple suspected of defrauding the government in connection with a HK$52.9 million (US$6.8 million) contract to supply drinking water to civil service offices. Kung Hing-fun, the senior superintendent of the force’s commercial crime bureau, said on Monday that the man, 61, and woman, 57, were arrested the previous day. Kung added the couple were the owners of a company that had secured a 36-month water deal, and that a mainland Chinese man was still at...

Economics

3 w. ago Couple held over Hong Kong water procurement scandal linked to another fraud case

A married couple arrested in Hong Kong over a HK$52.9 million (US$6.8 million) suspected water procurement fraud that targeted the government are already under investigation for allegedly using false documents to obtain trade loans two years ago, the Post has learned. Police said on Monday that the man, 61, and woman, 57, were arrested the previous day on suspicion of defrauding the government in connection with a contract to supply drinking water to civil service offices. A source said records...

Politics

3 w. ago Hong Kong government faces scrutiny over bottled water procurement scandal

Lawmakers have called for a comprehensive review of the authorities’ procurement process following allegations that a company supplied infringing mainland Chinese-branded bottled water to government offices, prompting a police investigation. The Post also found that the directors of the company involved, Xin Ding Xin Trade, were linked to unpaid loans of HK$8 million (US$1.1 million) via another firm, just one day after its HK$52.9 million contract with the Government Logistics Department was...

Politics

3 w. ago Hong Kong orders probe into procurement processes amid bottled water scandal

Hong Kong authorities have ordered an investigation and set up a task force to review official procurement processes after a company supplied bottled water that listed a mainland Chinese brand as a manufacturer without its permission. The Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau outlined its plan on Sunday, a day after the Government Logistics Department partially terminated a HK$52.9 million deal with bottled water supplier Xin Ding Xin Trade because it doubted whether the company was capable...

Politics