Scandal of Hong Kong security trio’s hotpot dinner bubbling away but were any codes of conduct broken?

Hong Kong leader acknowledged trio’s lack of sensitivity, but noted they had paid price in terms of being fined and taking hit to their reputations

Legal experts doubt any bribery law was broken but observers say lack of full and frank disclosure leaves bad taste

Reading Time:5 minutes

Hong Kong government headquarters. Civil servants and political appointees have codes of conduct they must follow. Photo: Bloomberg

Published: 8:00am, 18 Jul 2021Updated: 8:30pm, 18 Jul 2021

One exclusive clubhouse, three top law enforcement officials, six unknown guests, a hotpot dinner with an undisclosed price tag, and Covid-19 restrictions on gatherings tossed aside.

These are the sizzling ingredients of a scandal that has kept Hong Kong buzzing for the past week or so, after news broke that Commissioner of Customs and Excise Hermes Tang Yi-hoi, Director of Immigration Au Ka-wang and Undersecretary for Security Sonny Au Chi-kwong were part of a dinner party of nine at the Wan Chai establishment on March 2.

The questions came fast and furious: how much did the meal cost? Who paid? Who else was there? Did the three men flout codes of conduct for civil servants and office-holders, or other laws? And what about that breach of social-distancing rules?

So far, there have been few answers.

News of the dinner broke early last week in local press outlets. The officials admitted flouting the ban on gatherings of more than four people by being in the party of nine. All three were fined, and subsequently apologised.

Director of Immigration Au Ka-wang. Photo: Winson Wong

On Tuesday, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor came to their defence, asking everyone to move on and view the matter in “a more humanised way”.

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