Audit urges tighter checks after fake bottled-water scandal
發佈日期: 2025-10-21 21:24
TVB News
The Audit Commission is urging the government to strengthen integrity screening on suppliers, following the procurement of suspected counterfeit bottled water.
This as Xin Ding Xin Trading, the supplier involved in the counterfeit bottled water saga has directors and shareholders who were previously arrested on suspicion of fraud.
The company had submitted a "no conviction declaration" during its tender application.
The Audit Commission suggests government departments require tenderers to give consent to criminal record checks. But police expressed reservations, saying criminal records are highly sensitive data.
Currently, Certificates of No Criminal Conviction are issued solely for purposes including visa, study or residency applications.
The review panel on government procurement, chaired by Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui, has proposed six immediate measures, including stronger due-diligence checks.
Hui says today the incident staff will be empowered to verify information directly with third parties and conduct on-site inspections whenever suspicions arise.
