The 28th Chinese Poetry Writing Competition prize presentation ceremony was held today (September 20) at Hong Kong Central Library. Organised by the Hong Kong Public Libraries (HKPL) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, the competition aims to promote proficiency in Chinese language and the appreciation of Chinese literature with rhymes.
 
     The competition received an enthusiastic response this year with more than 500 entries.
 
     The First Prizes in the open category and the student category went to Mr Wong Kam-hung and Hong Kong Shue Yan University student Miss Deng Ziying respectively. Mr Wong's work describes a camera drone flying in the sky and shooting far away, while Miss Deng's work tells us that if we overcome life's hurdles, we can ultimately find the truth of life. Other winning works feature a variety of topics, including allegories on personal feelings as well as reminiscences about old friends.
 
     Speaking at the prize presentation ceremony, the Assistant Director of Leisure and Cultural Services (Libraries and Development), Miss Rochelle Lau, said that the Chinese Poetry Writing Competition aims to promote greater interest in writing and Chinese poetry. To tie-in with the competition, the HKPL has organised the Talk Series on Chinese Poetry Writing to introduce the characteristics, rhyming and writing skills of Chinese poetry. She expressed the hope that more people will become devoted to poetry writing to help pass on the heritage of Chinese poetry.
 
    The winners' list and their winning entries (Chinese versions only) have been uploaded to the HKPL website at www.hkpl.gov.hk/poetrywriting. This year's winning works will be on display from tomorrow (September 21) until October 25 at the foyer of the South Entrance of the Hong Kong Central Library. A roving exhibition will be held at various public libraries afterwards. For details, please visit the above-mentioned website.
 
     Other guests at the ceremony included adjudicators Professor Ho Man-wui, Professor Wong Kuan-io and Professor Lau Wai-lam. Also adjudicating for this year's competition were Professor Chan Chi-ching, Professor Nicholas Chan and Professor Tang Pui-ling.
 
     The HKPL has been organising the Chinese Poetry Writing Competition annually since 1991, with Chinese shi and ci poetry competitions being held in alternate years. This is the 14th time that participants have taken the opportunity to showcase their literary talent in writing Chinese ci poetry.

    

     The Department of Health (DH) and the Police today (September 20) in a joint operation raided two retail shops in Sheung Shui and Yuen Long for suspected illegal sale and possession of an unregistered pharmaceutical product. Three people were arrested during the operation. 
 
     During market surveillance, the DH found that the two retail shops had been selling an unregistered pharmaceutical product (see photo), which was labeled in Japanese as containing dexamethasone, a Part 1 poison under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance (PPO) (Cap 138).
 
     "Dexamethasone is a steroidal substance for treating inflammation. Inappropriate or excessive application of steroids could cause skin problems. Products containing dexamethasone are prescription medicines and should be used under the advice of medical practitioners," the DH spokesman said.
 
     A man aged 20 and two women aged 24 and 50 were arrested by the Police for suspected illegal sale and possession of Part 1 poison and unregistered pharmaceutical product in the operation today. The DH's investigation is continuing.
 
     According to the PPO, all pharmaceutical products must be registered with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong before they can be sold legally in the market. Illegal sale and possession of unregistered pharmaceutical products and Part I poisons are criminal offences. The maximum penalty for each offence is a fine of $100,000 and two years' imprisonment.
 
     All registered pharmaceutical products should carry a Hong Kong registration number on the package in the format of "HK-XXXXX". The DH strongly urges members of the public not to buy or use unregistered pharmaceutical products as their safety, efficacy and quality are not guaranteed.
 
     Members of the public should not self-medicate without advice from healthcare professionals. People who have purchased the above product should stop using it and consult healthcare professionals if they are in doubt or feeling unwell after use. They may submit the product to the DH's Drug Office at Room 1856, Wu Chung House, 213 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, during office hours for disposal.

  

     The Hong Kong Electrical and Mechanical (E&M) Trade Promotion Working Group, formed by the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) and the E&M trade, held the second "E&M GO!" Orientation Ceremony today (September 20). The event attracted over 600 young trainees who joined E&M training schemes organised by various private and public organisations, with an aim to encourage them to pursue their aspirations in the E&M trade.

     Speaking at the ceremony, the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, said that Hong Kong will continue to have a number of infrastructure projects closely related to people's livelihood in the next few years. The number of mechanical and electrical facilities has also increased, thus requiring a large number of mechanical and electrical professionals. He encouraged students to actively equip themselves and develop their strengths in the electromechanical industry, which is filled with development opportunities.

     The Director of Electrical and Mechanical Services, Mr Alfred Sit, said that the development of the E&M trade relies on trade and relevant government departments to provide ample opportunities for training and employment to aspiring young people. With joint efforts by various stakeholders, the trade and the EMSD, the number of E&M apprentices has been increasing and would gradually improve the manpower provisions of the trade. He added that it has been a widespread trend for the E&M trade to integrate with new technologies, and encouraged the trainees to better equip themselves for the new opportunities.

     The Working Group has always played important roles in attracting new talents to the industry. With the active participation of the EMSD, the Working Group has organised a number of large-scale promotional events and recruitment expos to boost the professional image and enhance the general public's knowledge of the E&M industry. With the concerted efforts of different stakeholders, the number of E&M trainees in the trade increased by 40 per cent compared with 2013.

     For details about the Working Group please visit the Working Group's Facebook page (www.facebook.com/emengineering).

  

     Police today (September 20) appealed to the public for information on a woman who went missing in Tsing Yi.
         
     Yu Pik-ying, aged 43, went missing after she left her residence in Cheung On Estate on September 7 morning. Her family made a report to Police on September 15.
         
     She is about 1.5 metres tall, 48 kilograms in weight and of thin build. She has a round face with yellow complexion and shoulder-length black straight hair. She was last seen wearing a black dress, black shoes and carrying a brown handbag.
          
     Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing woman or may have seen her is urged to contact the Regional Missing Person Unit of New Territories South on 3661 1176 or 9689 7445 or email to rmpu-nts-2@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.

  

     The annual event "Build a Secure Cyberspace", co-organised by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer, the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) and the Hong Kong Computer Emergency Response Team Co-ordination Centre, has set "Stay Smart, Keep Cyber Scams Away" as the theme this year. A series of promotional activities have been organised to raise public awareness against cyber scams such as phishing.
      
     Addressing a seminar today (September 20), the Assistant Government Chief Information Officer (Cyber Security and Digital Identity), Mr Jason Pun, said, "Phishing attacks have extended from phishing emails and fraudulent websites commonly found in the past to deception through social media or instant messaging mobile apps, and the tactics are diversified and in various guises."
      
     He called on the public to be mindful in handling suspicious emails or messages and not to open attachments or click on hyperlinks casually to safeguard their assets. He also reminded the public to stay vigilant against fraudulent websites in order to protect their computer devices from data theft or becoming part of a botnet.
      
     At the seminar, experts and representatives from the HKPF and the information security industry enlightened participants with their practical experience and security tips on an array of hot topics, including the latest cybercrime trends, methods to guard against phishing, measures for protecting organisation and household network devices, and points to note when using mobile payment.
      
     Another highlight today was the award presentation ceremony of the "Stay Smart, Keep Cyber Scams Away" Video Ad Contest. The Contest was divided into four categories, namely the primary school, secondary school, family and open groups, and received enthusiastic responses. Mr Pun commended the video ad submissions for their quality production and creativity. He said he expected that through the contest, the public could better understand the ways to identify legitimate websites and online messages so that they could guard against cyber security threats more effectively. The winning entries can be viewed at the Cyber Security Information Portal (www.cybersecurity.hk/en/contest-2018.php).
      
     A variety of events including seminars, a creativity contest, radio programmes and school talks are being held under the "Build a Secure Cyberspace" campaign. Details are available at www.cybersecurity.hk/en/build-a-secure-cyberspace.php.