Govt blasts malicious attacks on Tai Po fire relief work

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government on Wednesday strongly disapproved and rejected foreign forces, including anti-China media organizations, and anti-China and destabilizing forces, for not just making unfounded and slanderous remarks regarding the HKSAR government's relief work on and investigations into the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, but also for their sowing of discord and malicious attack on the rescue operations.

Those who try to use the disaster to stir up chaos in society are malicious, blotting out the efforts of the HKSAR government and all sectors of the community in the rescue operations and support work. Those people should be condemned.

A government spokesperson said, In the aftermath of the fire, the entire Hong Kong society is suffering from a collective trauma. In this difficult time, what we need is a society that is united, with everyone serving with perseverance, sparing no effort in followup support and recovery work with a view to achieving early recovery of society.

"Regrettably, foreign forces and anti-China and destabilizing forces with ulterior motives, through disseminating fake news and false messages on the Internet, and even distributing seditious pamphlets, etc., intended to maliciously smear the rescue work, instigate social division and conflict to undermine the society's unity in taking forward the support and relief work. It even causes 'secondary damage' to the affected residents. If these acts are left unchecked, not only would they negatively impact on the relief work after the fire, they would even undermine the stability of society and endanger national security. We must not let our guard down against such risks."

The spokesperson emphasized: "The HKSAR government will not tolerate any malicious smearing targeting the HKSAR government and rescue personnel without regard to the ordeal the society is facing, in particular criminal acts that are intended to incite hatred against the government, confounding right and wrong. Indeed, what is most needed now is for all sectors of Hong Kong to stand united as one in supporting the affected residents to move beyond their grief as soon as possible and to help them continue to live better lives. We will not condone any person who attempts to sabotage or interfere with the rescue work. Wherever they are, the HKSAR government will make every effort in pursuing them in accordance with the law and make sure that justice is done.

"Members of the public must stay alert to those who seek to exploit the disaster and disseminate unfounded information, attempting to antagonize the society, inciting public hatred against the HKSAR Government and our country, etc., thus endangering national security. The HKSAR government appeals to members of the public not to defy the law, refrain from having connection with and to resolutely dissociate themselves from anti-China and destabilizing forces. The HKSAR government will exhaust all means to pursue and combat them, ensuring that any violation against the law will be pursued regardless of distance through decisive enforcement actions carried out in accordance with the law."