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 relating to a fraudulent website and phishing instant message, which has been reported to the HKMA. A hyperlink to the press release is available on the HKMA website.
      
     The HKMA wishes to remind the public that banks will not send SMS or e-mails with embedded hyperlinks which direct them to the banks' websites to carry out transactions. They will not ask customers for sensitive personal information, such as login passwords or One-Time Password, by phone, email or SMS (including via embedded hyperlinks).
      
     Anyone who has provided his or her personal information, or who has conducted any financial transactions, through or in response to the website or instant message concerned, should contact the bank using the contact information provided in the press release, and report the matter to the Police by contacting the Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012.

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 Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited relating to fraudulent websites and phishing instant messages, which has been reported to the HKMA. A hyperlink to the press release is available on the HKMA website.
      
     The HKMA wishes to remind the public that banks will not send SMS or e-mails with embedded hyperlinks which direct them to the banks' websites to carry out transactions. They will not ask customers for sensitive personal information, such as login passwords or One-Time Password, by phone, email or SMS (including via embedded hyperlinks).
      
     Anyone who has provided his or her personal information, or who has conducted any financial transactions, through or in response to the websites or instant messages concerned, should contact the bank using the contact information provided in the press release, and report the matter to the Police by contacting the Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012.

     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, at a media session after attending the meeting of the Panel on Security at the Legislative Council Complex this afternoon (July 6):
 
Reporter: On candidate eligibility first, how can you convince the public that in future when you vet the eligibility of future candidates, you will be fair because the possible candidates would have maybe criticised you or the Police Force in the past? And second question, would the Police essentially be kind of deciding who can run in future elections looking forward, since the Police will first do the vetting of background checks and the Candidate Eligibility Review Committee is also comprising of a significant amount of four policemen or people with disciplined services background?
 
Secretary for Security: I think as senior officers, we are all doing our parts fairly and impartially and yet the Committee also comprises people with high reputation from the community. So I don't think what you are saying will happen. Thank you.
 
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

     Owing to the thunderstorm warning, the flag-lowering ceremony to be conducted at Golden Bauhinia Square, Wan Chai at 6pm today (July 6) will be cancelled.

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (July 6) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza in Cao Bang Province in Vietnam, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the province with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

     A CFS spokesman said that Hong Kong has currently established a protocol with Vietnam for the import of poultry eggs but not for poultry meat. According to the Census and Statistics Department, in the first three months of this year, Hong Kong imported about 7.15 million poultry eggs from Vietnam.

     "The CFS has contacted the Vietnamese authorities over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the OIE and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreak. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesman said.