Hong Kong security chiefs sorry for breaking social-distancing rules at hotpot dinner, but say they were just doing their jobs

Customs boss Hermes Tang, immigration chief Au Ka-wang, and Undersecretary for Security Sonny Au attended event on March 2

The trio have come under increasing pressure to apologise for their presence at luxury dinner in Wan Chai

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A police officer orders people in Causeway Bay to disperse with a warning that they may be in breach of social-distancing rules. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Published: 3:47pm, 9 Jul 2021Updated: 11:31pm, 9 Jul 2021

Three senior Hong Kong security officials have apologised for breaking social-distancing rules while attending a hotpot dinner at a luxury clubhouse earlier this year, but said they were only doing their jobs.

Commissioner of Customs and Excise Hermes Tang Yi-hoi, Director of Immigration Au Ka-wang, and Undersecretary for Security Sonny Au Chi-kwong succumbed to pressure from the pro-establishment camp on Friday to say sorry for attending the event in Wan Chai on March 2.

The apologies came a day after media leaks and pressure from lawmakers forced the trio to come clean. Their presence at the event was uncovered when police investigating an attempted rape obtained a copy of the guest list.

They admitted late on Thursday to being fined for violating the four-person limit on public gatherings when attending a dinner banquet, reportedly held at the Causeway Centre on Harbour Road, but initially stopped short of issuing a full apology.

In separate but similar statements the group said they would “exercise particular caution when attending events in the future and will be sure to meet with the requirement”.

But their responses did little to quell the anger among lawmakers, who questioned why they had not resigned or at least apologised for their behaviour, when officials in mainland China, and overseas, had previously done so for breaching social-distancing rules or failing to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

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