Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Mr Alfred Sit, at a media session after attending a radio programme today (May 9):
 
Reporter: Secretary, will you apologise for this…… Some people calling this a "PR disaster", and also some experts have expressed concerns about the safety of these masks, saying that it could be a problem if you inhale the copper particles. Does the Government have the safety report to prove that these masks will be safe to use even after it has been washed for like 60 times?
 
The Secretary for Innovation and Technology: Thank you for your question. For your second part of the question, I have to emphasise that all the products have been gone through a very comprehensive and very clear testing and certification process. The product can fully comply with the ASTM F2100 Level 1 requirement so that the product can fully meet the need to protect our people from COVID-19. I have to emphasise that this process must be done by proper laboratories. That's what we have done. For those people who may not have complete understanding about the product, you may visit our website and see the reports and certificates. I fully hope that this product can help our people to combat COVID-19. That’s what we would like to do.
 
Reporter: Sorry, my first question regarding whether you will apologise for this "PR disaster"……
 
The Secretary for Innovation and Technology: The major purpose of this project is to provide reusable masks to our people, the Hong Kong people and we have already fully meet our target. That's what we need to do and we have already done that. Thank you.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

     The Anti-epidemic Support Scheme for Property Management Sector (ASPM) under the Anti-epidemic Fund is open for applications and continues to disburse subsidies. 
      
     The ASPM is implemented by the Property Management Services Authority (PMSA). As of today (May 9), the PMSA has received over 8 200 applications for the ASPM, of which over 3 850 applications have been approved. The approved applications involve subsidies of over $140 million and benefit around 22 000 building blocks and around 35 750 frontline property management (PM) workers. Please refer to the website of the PMSA (www.pmsahk.org.hk/en/index.html) for the name of the properties for which applications have been approved.
      
     The Government has launched the ASPM under the Anti-epidemic Fund to subsidise owners' organisations (OOs) or PM companies of eligible buildings to provide the Anti-epidemic Hardship Allowance to the frontline PM workers. The ASPM will also provide the Anti-epidemic Cleansing Subsidy to OOs or PM companies. Phase I of the ASPM covers private residential and composite (i.e. commercial cum residential) buildings, whereas Phase II of the ASPM covers industrial and commercial buildings (including shopping malls). 
      
     For details on the ASPM, please contact the PMSA at 3696 1156 or 3696 1166, or visit the website of the PMSA.   

     Three charities have been issued Public Subscription Permits to hold flag sales on Hong Kong Island, in Kowloon and in the New Territories separately from 7am to 12.30pm today (May 9). The Social Welfare Department (SWD) has been informed by two of the charities that the regional flag-selling activities scheduled to be held by them have been cancelled, a spokesman for the SWD said.
 
     Information on the regional flag-selling activities today is as follows:
 

 
     Contact information for the organisations that have cancelled regional flag-selling activities is as follows:
 

 
     For enquiries, please call the SWD's hotline at 2343 2255, or the designated hotline of the 1823 Call Centre at 3142 2678. Information on flag days is available at the SWD's website (www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_whatsnew) and the GovHK portal (www.gov.hk/en/theme/fundraising/search). Permits for flag days containing contact information of the flag-selling organisations and information on the approved flag-selling activities have also been uploaded to the SWD's website (www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_controlofc/sub_recentlyap).
 
     Details of the charitable fund-raising activities covered by the Public Subscription Permit issued by the SWD have also been uploaded to the GovHK website (www.gov.hk/fundraising).
 
     If any flag day activity is suspected to be fraudulent, people should not make any donation and should immediately report the matter to the Police, the spokesman added.

     To offer immediate financial relief to local primary producers who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government, under the second round of the Anti-epidemic Fund, is providing subsidies to local primary producers; and also a subsidy to wholesale traders operating in the fresh food wholesale markets. Subsidies under both schemes are being disbursed progressively from today (May 8). The interest-free loan repayment deferral arrangement for loan borrowers under the Fisheries Development Loan Fund (FDLF) has been rolled out smoothly as well.

     A spokesman for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) said today that a total of 2 847 applications for the subsidy scheme of $10,000 to each local primary producer (including owners of vegetable farms, hydroponic farms, flower farms and nurseries, marine fish culture farms, pond fish farms, fishing vessels and fish collector vessels, but excluding livestock farms) under the second round of the Anti-epidemic Fund were received as at today with 1 294 approved involving a total of $12,940,000.

     As at today, a total of 346 applications to the scheme to provide a subsidy of $40,000 to each eligible wholesale trader operating in the fresh food wholesale markets (the ceiling of the grant for each wholesale trader under the same business registration operating multiple stores is $200,000) were received with 148 approved involving a total of $5,920,000.

     Moreover, a total of 57 borrowers confirmed participation in the arrangement of a one-off interest-free deferral of loan repayment for a period of one year to loan borrowers under the FDLF as at today.

     Primary producers should note that those who have already benefitted from the Subsidies for Live Marine Fish Wholesale Traders and Fishing Vessels with Mainland Deckhands in the first round of the Anti-epidemic Fund will not be eligible to apply for the subsidy scheme of $10,000 to local primary producers this time.

     Those wholesale traders operating in the fresh food wholesale markets who have already benefitted from the Retail Sector Subsidy Scheme and the Food Licence Holder Subsidy Scheme in the first round of the Anti-epidemic Fund will not be eligible to apply for the above scheme of a subsidy of $40,000 as well.

     People eligible to the subsidy scheme of $10,000 to local primary producers under the second round of the Anti-epidemic Fund can still send in their applications. The application period will end on June 1. Application forms have been distributed to eligible applicants by post and uploaded to the AFCD website (Agriculture: afcd.gov.hk/english/whatsnew/what_agr/what_agr.html; Fisheries: afcd.gov.hk/english/whatsnew/what_fis/what_fis.html).

     The application period of the scheme of providing a subsidy of $40,000 to each eligible wholesale trader operating in the fresh food wholesale markets will also end on June 1. Application forms have been distributed to eligible applicants by staff of the AFCD or the organisations concerned, and uploaded to the AFCD website (Agricultural products: afcd.gov.hk/english/whatsnew/what_agr/what_agr.html; Fisheries products: afcd.gov.hk/english/whatsnew/what_fis/what_fis.html).

     Completed application forms for the above schemes and copies of the required documents must be submitted to the AFCD as stated on the forms. Subsidies will be disbursed to successful applicants as soon as possible. For details, please visit the AFCD website: www.afcd.gov.hk.

     The Police management is highly concerned about the recent criminal offences involving police officers and cases are established for investigation with a number of officers involved arrested. Among them, officers in connection with serious offences have been or will be interdicted.
      
     Police are furious and disappointed about officers suspected to have breached the law and discipline. The incidents have impaired public confidence in the Police and are very unfair to other officers who have all along dedicated to their duty.
      
     Police attach utmost importance to the discipline and integrity of police officers. All police officers, irrespective of their ranks, must abide by the law at all times. Police management resolutely adopts a zero tolerance attitude to any acts of breach of the law or discipline by police officers. Supervisors are required to carry out stringent supervisory responsibilities. Police are committed to handle all cases of breach of discipline or the law in a serious and impartial manner.
      
     Police have all along attached great importance to the integrity management of police officers. The Complaints and Internal Investigations Branch formulated the Integrated Integrity Management Framework years ago to promote integrity and honesty among officers as well as to regulate their discipline and conduct. To avoid similar incidents, the Police management is reviewing the internal management strategy of the Force.
      
     Police reiterate that no bad element in the Force can be tolerated. If an officer is suspected to have breached the law or committed a breach of discipline, Police will conduct serious investigation according to the established mechanism and take appropriate actions accordingly.