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In relation to the case of the missing boy -- Yu Man-hon, a Government spokesman today (September 1) denied an allegation by a press commentary that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (HKSARG) did not formally request the Shenzhen Public Security Bureau (PSB) to assist in locating the boy until early yesterday (August 31) morning, i.e., seven days after he went missing.

The spokesman said as soon as the Immigration Department learned from press reports on August 28 that Yu Man-hon had gone missing, it immediately enquired the Shenzhen Frontier Inspection officers about the whereabouts of Yu Man-hon. The Department also requested the frontier inspection officers to bring the case to the attention of the Shenzhen PSB instantly in order to search for the boy. The next day, the department made follow-up enquiries with the Shenzhen PSB and the level of liaison was escalated to the Command Centre of the Shenzhen PSB.

The family members of Yu Man-hon reported to the Police on August 24 that their son had gone missing. The Police, upon learning that the boy had somehow made his way to Shenzhen, formally sought help on August 29 from the Shenzhen PSB through the border liaison channel in locating Yu Man-hon. On the same day, police officers also accompanied Yu's family to Shenzhen to look for the boy.

As the search had carried on for a few days but to no avail, the HKSARG decided to escalate its action. The Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, called the Shenzhen Mayor, Mr Yu Youjun, in person yesterday to seek assistance from the Shenzhen Government.

On the other hand, the Acting Secretary for Security, Mr Raymond Wong, personally called the Guangdong PSB Chief, Mr Liang Guoxu, on the same day to secure their help in extending the search to areas within Guangdong Province but outside Shenzhen.

The Acting Assistant Director of Immigration (Control), Mr Tang Man-kit, met with the Deputy Chief of the Shenzhen PSB, Mr Sun Biao, at the Shenzhen PSB Command Centre yesterday to follow up the case. Last night, the Shenzhen PSB deployed 7 000 police officers to conduct a thorough search throughout the city in a bid to locate Yu Man-hon as soon as possible.

The HKSARG has also sought the assistance of the media in Shenzhen and Guangdong to disseminate information about Yu Man-hon's case and to make a public appeal for information on the boy's whereabouts.

"We fully understand the anxiety of Yu's family. The Immigration Department will keep in touch with them to render assistance. Also, we will continue to follow up the case actively with the Shenzhen and Guangdong PSB's. Our aim is to find the boy as soon as possible," the spokesman said.

Any person who can provide information on how Yu Man-hon made his way to Shenzhen or his whereabouts should call up the hotline of the Immigration Department's "Assistance to Hong Kong Residents Unit". The hotline number is 2829 3010 during office hours and 2543 1958 outside office hours.

End/Friday, September 1, 2000

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