Hong Kong Immigration Department looks into claim 2 senior officers got luxury hampers from developer China Evergrande
- Deputy director Benson Kwok and Chief Immigration Officer Jacky Wong reportedly received luxury Mid-Autumn Festival hampers from Evergrande director
- Security chief Chris Tang says Immigration Department will look into matter
Hong Kong immigration authorities are looking into reports that two senior officers received gift hampers worth more than HK$3,000 (US$384) each from embattled developer China Evergrande, the security minister has revealed.
The driver of an Evergrande director delivered Shangri-La hotel hampers to the homes of Deputy Director of Immigration Benson Kwok Joon-fung and Chief Immigration Officer Jacky Wong on September 17, four days before the Mid-Autumn Festival, local media outlet Standnews reported.
It said each hamper, which included mooncakes, a bottle of champagne and abalone, was valued at HK$3,388, going by the hotel’s catalogue.
Under the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance, there is a cap of HK$3,000 on gifts a civil servant can accept from a personal friend or other people on a special occasion, or else approval from the authorities is required.
The driver of executive director and Hong Kong company general manager Huang Xiangui dropped off the hampers at the two officers’ doorsteps.
A government source on Wednesday said the pair had been friends with Huang for years. They checked the hamper’s price online upon delivery and found there was a 15 per cent discount.
“Since the two officers do not have any business dealings with Huang and the gift value was under the cap ceiling, they did not seek approval from the immigration director,” the insider said.