CE condemns threatening remarks

Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying said the public would not accept comments which contained threats — while government would not tolerate them. Leung was referring to legislator Wong Yuk-man’s comments on Monday that Chief Secretary for Administration Carrie Lam Yuet-ngor could have a “petrol bomb”, rather than eggs, thrown at her during a “revolution”. Wong remained unrepentant, refusing to withdraw his remarks and saying they were only a “reminder”. Welfare Matthew Cheung Kin-chung said public works in Hong Kong currently provided more than 70,000 jobs — some 8,000 more than last year. Of these, 8,600 are jobs for professional people or technicians, while the rest are for workers. Cheung noted that the budget for public works this fiscal year would amount to HK$70.1 billion. He said the next few years would be a golden time for the construction industry as more large-scale public works would be launched. cases as the public hospitals were “overcrowded”. While queues have been a long-standing problem at the accident and emergency wards of public hospitals, especially in winter, the H7N9 avian flu threat and the pan-screening program of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci had made things worse. He said the victims in the two confirmed human H7N9 avian flu cases remain hospitalized, but their conditions have improved. and Health Ko Wing-man told a Legislative Council panel meeting on Tuesday. But concerned lawmakers questioned the reasons for such a warning. One lawmaker said it could trigger panic buying or stockpiling of infant formula. Ko explained that he wanted people to make it a normal practice to order infant formula in advance, instead of rushing to drugstores at the last minute. He also said it was not the right time to revoke the two-tins-pertraveler limit. data showed the mainland’s industrial production rose less than was estimated last month. China Coal Energy Co fell 2.4 percent, leading declines on the Hang Seng Index, after Macquarie Group Ltd cut its investment rating on the company. The Hang Seng Index slid 0.3 percent to 23,744.19 at the close. Trading volumes were 35 percent below the 30-day average amid initial public offerings in the city. The benchmark gauge has dropped 1.2 percent since closing on Dec 2 at the highest level since April 2011. The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index of mainland companies listed in Hong Kong declined 0.4 percent to 11,382.16.