Exclusive: home affairs department sets the record straight on internet data breach rumors
A spokesman for the Home Affairs Department (HAD) today (May 25) said that the Department had noticed someone from an online platform claimed data of the members of the public obtained from the HAD's system were put on sale. The HAD clarified that there was no data leakage.
After noting the claim on the online platform, the HAD informed the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer. The HAD also immediately conducted investigation, which showed that there was no sign of intrusion to the Department's system and no evidence of data stolen or leakage was found.
The HAD has made a report to the Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau of the Hong Kong Police Force.
The HAD condemns all form of cybercrime and spreading of rumours on the Internet and will fully co-operate with investigations by law enforcement agencies.
Source: AI-generated images
Ballots drawn for Sale of Home Ownership Scheme Flats 2024
The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Housing Authority:
Ballots were drawn today (December 12) for the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA)'s Sale of Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) Flats 2024 (HOS 2024). The Chairman of the HA's Subsidised Housing Committee, Ms Cleresa Wong, officiated at the ballot drawing.
"During the application period, the HA received a total of around 106 000 applications for HOS 2024 (comprising around 78 000 White Forms and around 28 000 Green Forms). The oversubscription rate is about 14 times, reflecting the strong demand for HOS flats. Among the applications received, around 50 000 came from family applicants, in which around 19 000 applied under the Priority Scheme for Families with Elderly Members and Families with Newborns Flat Selection Priority Scheme (around 40 per cent of family applicants). In addition, around 56 000 applications were received from one-person applicants," a spokesman for the HA said.
The ballot drawing conducted today is to determine the applicants' priority sequence for HOS 2024 based on the last two digits of their application numbers. For applicants holding the same drawn digits within the different application categories, their order of priority will be randomly generated by computer.
The ballot results have been uploaded to the HA/Housing Department (HD)'s designated website for HOS 2024 (www.housingauthority.gov.hk/hos/2024). Applicants who have submitted online applications will receive email notifications of the ballot results following the ballot drawing ceremony.
The randomly generated order of all applications will be uploaded to the designated website tomorrow (December 13). It will also be displayed at the HA Customer Service Centre (HACSC) in Lok Fu, the estate offices and District Tenancy Management Offices of the HA, the rental estate offices of the Hong Kong Housing Society and the Home Affairs Enquiry Centres of the Home Affairs Department from tomorrow. Applicants may also call the HA Sales Hotline 2712 8000 for enquiries.
The HA will, in accordance with the order of priority, issue letters/emails (for applicants who submit online applications and opt to receive electronic notifications) and invite White Form applicants and Green Form (GF) applicants holding a valid GF Certificate to submit the income and asset declaration form and supporting documents within a specified period for detailed vetting, so as to ascertain whether individual applicants meet the eligibility criteria for HOS 2024 and the final priority for flat selection of eligible applicants.
"The HA estimates that notifications will be sent in batches starting from the second quarter of 2025 to invite eligible applicants according to their priority under the application category to select flats for sale under HOS 2024 at the HACSC in Lok Fu," the spokesman said.
Flats for sale under HOS 2024 include a total of 7 132 flats in five new HOS developments at a wide variety of locations (including Kai Tak, Yau Tong, Kwun Tong, Tung Chung and Tuen Mun), providing choices of flats of various sizes with saleable areas ranging from about 17.3 square metres to about 47.4 sq m (about 186 square feet to about 510 sq ft). Large flats, with saleable areas ranging from about 41.1 sq m to about 47.4 sq m (about 442 sq ft to about 510 sq ft), account for about a quarter of the total number of flats. Meanwhile, rescinded HOS flats from developments sold under HOS 2020, HOS 2022 and HOS 2023, and a new batch of recovered Tenants Purchase Scheme flats are also included for sale under HOS 2024.
Ballots drawn for Sale of Home Ownership Scheme Flats 2024 Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
