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Following is a reply by the Secretary for Security, Mr Lai Tung-kwok, to a question by the Hon Leung Yiu-chung in the Legislative Council today (October 24):
Question:
In August this year, the Commissioner of Police (CP) paid a duty visit to Beijing without prior announcement. After the matter was reported by the media, CP openly claimed that this was a usual practice. A journalist has pointed out that in the past, whenever a senior government official was to make a visit outside Hong Kong, an announcement must be made before the visit to safeguard the public's right to information and the media's right of reporting. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether it has assessed if the aforesaid remark made by CP was a blatant lie; if so, whether he will be subject to any disciplinary action; and if so, what the disciplinary action will be?
Reply:
President,
The arrangements for announcing visits made by Heads of Department are determined by individual departments having regard to the work nature, circumstances and needs.
Concerning the duty visits made by the Commissioner of Police (CP), the Police Force, as a general practice, will issue press release when substantive achievements have been attained by the visits. Since the incumbent CP assumed his office in January 2011, the Police Force has issued press releases for ten visits made by the CP, announcing the substantive achievements attained by the visits, such as a consensus or co-operation agreement, including the signing of a memorandum of understanding or an agreement, with a law enforcement agency outside Hong Kong on the combat of cross-boundary criminal activities and the strengthening of collaboration in training, professional development, etc.
The arrangement for issuing a press release with regard to the CP's visit to Beijing from August 20, 2012 to August 22, 2012 was, in general, same as the previous arrangements, including those for his visit to Japan this year and visits to Cambodia, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia last year for which press releases were issued after achievements had been attained by such visits.
The media may at any time contact the Police Public Relations Branch relating to any enquiries about the CP's official activities.
Ends/Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Issued at HKT 14:32
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