RTHK：Video News RTHK.HK

The government was on Sunday urged to limit how much domestic helpers are allowed to borrow and to introduce licensing for debt collectors.

DAB lawmaker Edward Leung made the call after being approached for help by around 20 employers, who told him that their helpers had fallen victim to loan traps after filling out online forms.

He said helpers had to pay back amounts ranging from a few thousand dollars to HK$100,000.

"Currently in Hong Kong, [lenders] need to get a licence. However for debt collectors, they do not need to apply for a licence. However, in many places around the world for example in the UK, debt collectors do need a licence," he said.

"If this kind of situation worsens in Hong Kong, I believe that it will force the government to take further steps to set up certain laws to contain this kind of illegal debt collecting. For example, for debt collectors, they need to apply for a certain licence."

Leung said one disturbing trend involved debt collectors threatening to publish AI-generated pornographic deepfake photos of employers who refused to pay their helpers' debts.

He also noted a case of a helper borrowing money from a lender outside Hong Kong and being hit with a demand for more than double the sum just two weeks later.

A mobile app developed by the Chinese University has proved to be effective in diagnosing symptoms of depression, and researchers hope the invention can increase people's willingness to seek help at an early stage.

Using artificial intelligence, the app evaluates users' mental status by analysing attributes such as facial expression, voice and language.

A study was conducted between June 2021 and March 2023 to verify the tool's effectiveness.

More than 180 participants who took part regularly used the app to rate their mood state, and record videos of themselves.

Researchers noted that compared to healthy individuals, those suffering from depression tended to frown more and smile less. They also paused more often in their speech and used more negative emotion words.

Participants also wore devices which measured their rest activity. Data suggested depression patients were less active and suffered from sleep problems.

The self-assessment can be performed at home, without the need for face-to-face clinical consultations.

Researchers hope this will make the tool more palatable to potential patients.

The Secretary for Education Christine Choi on Saturday said authorities will offer assistance to students and staff affected by the closure of Christian Zheng Sheng College, including helping them find new schools or jobs.

The school, which helps teenagers fight drug addiction, has announced that it will cease operating in July.

Back in January, police arrested four directors of the charity which runs the college, on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud. Three others, including the institution’s head, Alman Chan, were put on the wanted list.

The government has issued a statement on Friday, saying it wasn't notified about the closure. It blamed those wanted by the police for the school's financial problems, saying they were trying to avoid responsibility.

Speaking on a radio programme, Choi said about 10 students and eight teachers would be affected.

“We're working with different departments, and the associated school to help the students. If some students want to keep studying, we'll help them find the right programmes. And since students are at different ages, some might want to start working. We'll talk to them about that too. For the teachers, we'll help them with their pay. We'll work with other departments to make sure everything is taken care of,” she said.

She noted the HK$1.8 million that had been earlier allocated to the school through the About Beat Drugs Fund would also be used to help cover the school's daily expenses.

Separately, the education minister also said that the bureau is starting discussions with the parties involved in the recent dispute over the appointment of interim vice-presidents at the University of Hong Kong.

HKU president Zhang Xiang has accused the university council of bypassing him over the decision. Some former council members of the university also issued a letter to the Chief Executive John Lee, saying they have lost faith in the council's chairperson Priscilla Wong.

Choi stressed that it's common for a large organisation like a university to have different opinions, saying it's important for everyone involved to share their thoughts openly. She said she’s confident that a decision will be made soon.

Chief Executive John Lee on Saturday said safeguarding national security is fundamental for a strong and stable Hong Kong.

Speaking at a national security legal forum in Wan Chai, Lee said national security loopholes were addressed after Basic Law Article 23 legislation took effect in March.

"From the anti-national education movement in 2012, Occupy Central in 2014, the Mong Kok unrest in 2016, to the 2019 social unrest and the Hong Kong version of a 'colour revolution', they used large-scale riots to create unrest," he said.

"Thanks to the central government, decisive action was taken to implement the National Security Law in Hong Kong. It addressed the legal vacuum surrounding national security, it improved the electoral system, and implemented the principle of patriots governing Hong Kong. The city has finally returned to normality."

The Secretary for Justice Paul Lam said some countries had attempted to ruin Hong Kong's unique role in the nation's development.

"History tells us that we cannot afford to disregard national security risks. Indeed, security and development have a symbiotic relationship: one cannot exist without the other, and one will benefit the other. This is sheer logic and common sense," Lam said.

"Our national security law based on the principles of the rule of law provides high-standard security to guarantee and safeguard the better and sustainable development of Hong Kong in the long run."

The one-day forum is taking place at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The director of Beijing's liaison office on Saturday said the National Security Law has helped Hong Kong to curb disorder.

Speaking at a national security legal forum in Wan Chai, Zheng Yanxiong said a dual legislation and dual enforcement mechanism between the SAR and the mainland was established after the National Security Law was implemented in Hong Kong.

"It demonstrates the SAR's constitutional duty. It shows that Hong Kong's mechanisms for safeguarding national security and enforcement have improved, while addressing previous shortcomings - and ensuring that the 'One Country, Two Systems' principle is on the right track," he said.

Zheng added that 45 out of 47 defendants were convicted in a subversion case after they were involved in an unofficial legislative primary election.

"Different sectors generally affirmed the ruling, believed that it disseminated correct messages on the rule of law, showed the determination and confidence of the society in safeguarding national security."

Nong Rong, deputy director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, said the National Security Law had been effective in improving governance and creating prosperity.

"Over the past four years, Hong Kong has made a significant transformation from chaos to governance, returning to the track of development. In March, Hong Kong completed legislation for Article 23 of the Basic Law, further solidifying the legal shield for safeguarding national security," he said.

"The Hong Kong National Security Law explicitly identifies its purpose as maintaining the prosperity and stability of the Hong Kong SAR, highlighting this original aspiration to protect development."

Meanwhile, the head of the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the central government Dong Jingwei said the central government has full trust in the SAR government, authorising it to have the responsibility for safeguarding national security.

He said the central government would deal with any problems that the SAR government finds difficult to handle.

The Secretary for Civil Services Ingrid Yeung on Saturday said the new set of rules that government workers must follow wouldn’t restrict them from having a personal political life.

The updated Civil Service Code set out 12 core values public servants must follow, including being professional and staying neutral when it comes to politics. It also asked them to not publicly criticise government policy.

Speaking to reporters, Yeung said civil servants can still take part in social activities or public campaigns during their private time, but they need to be careful about being perceived to represent a government standpoint.

“We have set out very clearly in the code that civil servants can also have their political life. They can join social activities, except where we have strict rules about not being able to join. But the principle is when they join social activities, they have to ensure that their participation in these social activities will not cause a conflict of interest with their jobs,” she said.

“And also their joining would not allow people or attract people to believe that they are representing the government's position, the activities they join have government backing or allow people to think that they are actually representing a larger group of civil servants’ views.”

She also noted higher rank civil servants, or those taking leadership roles, should be even more cautious.

“It's difficult to draw a solid line below which [rank] you can be very care-free about what you speak and about which you have to be really very cautious. As you move up, I think civil servants will have to really take care,” she said.

Separately, Yeung was also asked whether the proposed 3 percent pay rise for all civil servants this year, a move that faced strong opposition from unions, would affect morale. The level of increase is significantly lower than the rises of up to 5.47 percent suggested by a pay trend survey.

“I believe that civil servants will be able to understand that there are constraints on what the government can do this year especially given our very tight financial situation and also I think as we progress with our various initiatives to improve livelihood and to improve the economy, there will be recognition of the public on what civil servants have done and this is also something that will be able to boost morale,” she said.

Yeung said that the final decision would be made by the Executive Council, but noted that the room for adjustment is limited.