The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public to a press release issued by the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited on phishing email, which has been reported to the HKMA. Hyperlink to the press release is available on the HKMA website for ease of reference by members of the public.

     Anyone who has provided his or her personal information to the email concerned or has conducted any financial transactions through the email should contact the bank concerned using the contact information provided in the press release, and report to the Police or contact the Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012.

     The Government announced today (November 19) that, in accordance with the Articles of Association of the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL) and as the majority shareholder, the Financial Secretary Incorporated has re-appointed Professor Frederick Ma Si-hang the Chairman of the board of directors of the Corporation for six months.

     The re-appointment of Professor Ma will take effect from January 1, 2019, to June 30, 2019. Professor Ma was first appointed as Chairman of the board of directors of the MTRCL in January 2016.

     The Government is identifying a suitable candidate to succeed Professor Ma as the Chairman of the board of directors of the MTRCL and will announce the appointment at an appropriate time.

     Police conducted a territory-wide operation between November 10 and November 18 to combat illegal road racing activities and related speeding offences to reduce traffic accidents.

     During the operation, Police arrested 11 persons for dangerous driving and speeding, and detained 95 vehicles for examination. Police detected 4,392 vehicles for speeding, and issued 58 summonses and 2,586 fixed penalty tickets for various traffic offences.

     In addition, Police conducted screening breath test on 251 drivers. Among them, 39 drivers were unable to pass the screening breath test and were arrested.

     Police appeal to motorists to be responsible and safe road users. They are urged not to speed or drive after consuming alcohol. Convicted offenders will be liable to a fine, have their driving licenses suspended or sentenced to imprisonment. Police will continue to target dangerous and careless driving behaviours.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announced today (November 19) the composite interest rate at the end of October 2018.*

     The composite interest rate, which is a measure of the average cost of funds of banks, increased by 1 basis point to 0.77% at the end of October 2018, from 0.76% at the end of September 2018 (see Chart 1 in the Annex). The rise in composite interest rate reflected increases in the weighted funding cost for deposits during the month (see Chart 2 in the Annex).
      
     The historical data of the composite interest rate from the end of the fourth quarter of 2003 to the end of October 2018 are available in the Monthly Statistical Bulletin on the HKMA website (www.hkma.gov.hk). The next data release is scheduled for December 19, 2018 and will provide the composite interest rate at the end of November 2018.

* The composite interest rate is a weighted average interest rate of all Hong Kong dollar interest bearing liabilities, which include deposits from customers, amounts due to banks, negotiable certificates of deposit and other debt instruments, and Hong Kong dollar non-interest bearing demand deposits on the books of banks. Data from retail banks, which account for about 90% of the total customers' deposits in the banking sector, are used in the calculation. It should be noted that the composite interest rate represents only average interest expenses. There are various other costs involved in the making of a loan, such as operating costs (e.g. staff and rental expenses), credit cost and hedging cost, which are not covered by the composite interest rate.

     The Labour and Welfare Bureau today (November 19) announced that the Rehabilitation Advisory Committee (RAC) will launch the second stage (Formulation of Recommendations Stage) of the public consultation exercise to seek views from members of the public on the formulation of a new Hong Kong Rehabilitation Programme Plan (RPP) through a series of public engagement activities.

     With the assistance of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University Consulting Team, the RAC has completed the first stage (Scoping Stage) of the public consultation exercise to collect stakeholders' opinions for defining the scope of the new RPP. More than 1 000 persons participated in the public consultation exercise and 70 written submissions were received by the Consulting Team during the period. The Report on Scoping Stage prepared by the Consulting Team has been uploaded to its website (www.rs.polyu.edu.hk/rpp) for public viewing.

     A spokesman for the Labour and Welfare Bureau said, "The Consulting Team will hold four public consultation sessions in early December 2018 and 15 seminars in the first quarter of 2019 to collect views from stakeholders for the priority issues. The five Task Forces under the RAC will also host separate stakeholder meetings, with a view to mapping out the strategic directions and recommendations."

     The arrangements of the four public consultation sessions under the Formulation of Recommendations Stage are set out as follows:
 

Note 1: To be conducted in Cantonese, with Hong Kong sign language interpretation and Cantonese and English simultaneous interpretation.
Note 2: To be conducted in Cantonese, with Hong Kong sign language interpretation.

     The public consultation period of the Formulation of Recommendations Stage will commence on December 5, 2018, and last until April 4, 2019. Members of the public are welcome to express their views. Please visit the Consulting Team's website (www.rs.polyu.edu.hk/rpp) for registration arrangements of the public consultation sessions, details of the seminars and methods for submitting views. Members of the public who have any views or enquiries may send email to the Consulting Team (rs.rpp@polyu.edu.hk).