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The following is issued on behalf of the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority:
A member of Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) Scheme was today (April 8) convicted and fined $6,000 at the Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts for breaching section 43E(1) of the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Ordinance by making a false and misleading statement in a document to the approved MPF trustees.
Mak Yat-yin was charged under Section 43E(1) of Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Ordinance. The defendant pleaded guilty and was fined a total of $6,000 for two offences.
The defendant applied to two trustees on June 30, 2008, for early withdrawal of his MPF accrued benefits on the grounds of permanent departure from Hong Kong. An investigation by the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority (MPFA) found that the defendant had deliberately provided false statements of permanent departure but in fact he did not leave Hong Kong permanently.
An MPFA spokesperson said the MPFA would continue to take tough enforcement action against this kind of offence. The MPFA also reminded scheme members not to try defying the law.
Under the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Ordinance, scheme members who withdraw from the MPF on the grounds of permanent departure are required to submit to the trustees the prescribed documents and a statutory declaration. If a scheme member makes a false and misleading statement in a document, it could mean a fine of up to $100,000 and imprisonment for 12 months.
Ends/Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Issued at HKT 17:56
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