Latest news with #MichaelCheukHau-yip
South China Morning Post
09-04-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Lessons for youngsters in short prison films on jailed Hong Kong protesters
Hong Kong prison authorities have for the first time produced short films based on the stories of current and former inmates convicted of offences related to the city's anti-government protests to educate young people about not running afoul of the law. Advertisement Acting security chief Michael Cheuk Hau-yip told a seminar on Wednesday attended by more than 1,600 secondary school pupils from 29 schools that many young offenders who had broken the national security law had been misinformed, incited or acted under misguided heroism to challenge social order. He pointed to the 30-minute film Momentary Glory, which will be released on the social media platforms of the Correctional Services Department and Education Bureau on National Security Education Day on April 15 along with another one, Unfailing Love. 'This short film was adapted from a real case. The story described a youth who, under peer pressure and negativity in society, was blinded by illusory conceit. He offended against the national security law and ended up in prison,' Cheuk said. Momentary Glory follows the story of Yiu Chi-man, a troubled young man who was forced to abandon his university studies to support his family. Advertisement Yiu is shown riding a motorcycle after answering two friends' calls to 'handle' an unnamed matter. In the film, one friend hands Yiu a folded black flag with part of the word 'liberate' visible. 'I will make all of Hong Kong pay attention, and let them know what it means by 'hard times create strong men',' Yiu said to his friends before riding off.
South China Morning Post
16-02-2025
- South China Morning Post
Spark Study Buddy (Challenger): Hong Kong woman rescued from Myanmar scam farm
Content provided by British Council [1] A Hong Kong woman was rescued from a scam farm in Myanmar. The city's Security Bureau confirmed her rescue on February 2, soon after Thai media reported the same. She was found on the Myanmar side of the border near Thailand's Tak province. She returned to Hong Kong two days later on a flight from Bangkok with members of a special task force from the bureau. [2] The woman was believed to have been a victim of human trafficking linked to a Chinese scam operation in Myanmar. The rescue operation was reportedly conducted by Thailand's army and police. They were alerted by the country's counter-narcotics authorities that the woman was attempting to cross the border into Thailand. [3] Hong Kong authorities are working with Thai officials to help city residents trapped in Myanmar. These victims are believed to have been tricked into going to Southeast Asian countries and forced to work in call centres that scam others. Some Hong Kong residents have safely returned home in recent weeks. [4] Michael Cheuk Hau-yip, the Undersecretary for Security, led a six-member team from the Security Bureau, police, and Immigration Department on a two-day trip to Bangkok in January. They met with Thai officials and representatives from the Chinese embassy to discuss Hong Kong victims who have been tricked by scam centres in Myanmar. [5] Two other people from Hong Kong have been freed after the trip. This includes a 29-year-old man who returned home on January 27. He was accompanied by members of a government task force that helps residents stuck in Southeast Asia. [6] A 25-year-old man returned on January 16, three months after he was tricked into going to Thailand by an online job ad. The ad promised HK$120,000 for transporting diamonds to Taiwan. After arriving in Thailand, he was taken across the border to a scam centre in Myanmar. Hong Kong police said his family was asked to pay US$30,000 (HK$233,621) for his release. The police did not say whether the money was paid. [7] Thai police arrested a mainland Chinese woman earlier this month. She was suspected of recruiting foreigners for illegal businesses and human trafficking. A Thai court issued an arrest warrant for the suspect in December last year for helping others cross the border into Myanmar illegally. Source: South China Morning Post, February 2 Questions 1. In paragraph 2, the woman was trying to … when she was found. A. get the army and police's attention B. cross the border into Thailand C. get inside Myanmar D. none of the above 2. How did the Hongkongers mentioned in paragraph 3 become victims? 3. Which word can replace 'tricked' in paragraph 4? A. distracted B. confused C. misjudged D. deceived 4. What did the job posting mentioned in paragraph 6 promise? 5. According to paragraph 7, what two things was the woman suspected of doing? (2 marks) 6. Decide whether the following statements are written in the active or passive voice. Fill in ONE circle only for each statement. (3 marks) (i) Authorities recently rescued a Hong Kong woman from a scam farm in Myanmar. (ii) Thailand's army and police reportedly carried out the rescue operation. (iii) Other victims, similar to the woman, are believed to have been lured to Southeast Asian countries. Michael Cheuk Hau-yip, Hong Kong's Undersecretary for Security, led a six-member team to Bangkok in January to discuss Hong Kong victims tricked by Myanmar scam centres with Thai officials and Chinese embassy representatives. Photo: Sam Tsang Answers 1. B 2. They were tricked into going to Southeast Asian countries 3. D 4. HK$120,000 for transporting diamonds to Taiwan 5. recruiting foreigners into working for unauthorised businesses and engaging in human trafficking 6. (i) active; (ii) active; (iii) passive
South China Morning Post
12-02-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
‘Complex situation' in Myanmar poses biggest hurdle to helping trapped Hongkongers
Myanmar's 'complex situation' around its border poses the biggest challenge to Hong Kong authorities' efforts to rescue residents tricked into working in scam farms in the country, a security official has said. Undersecretary for Security Michael Cheuk Hau-yip also said on Wednesday that between 2023 and January this year, law enforcement authorities received 28 calls for help from Hong Kong residents trapped in Southeast Asia. Among that figure, 19 had returned to Hong Kong, eight remained trapped in Myanmar and another was in Cambodia. 'In our previous cases, since the victims were trapped in Myanmar and Cambodia, we requested assistance from the local enforcement agencies through Interpol as well as the Chinese embassies in those countries,' he told a Legislative Council meeting. 'We did not contact Thailand at that time as the victims were not located there. But as the situation developed, we reached out to Thai authorities and received a positive response from them; therefore, we are currently working with Thailand in this regard.' In response to a question from lawmaker Eunice Yung Hoi-yan, Cheuk said Myanmar's 'complex situation' posed the biggest challenge to efforts to rescue the remaining Hongkongers.
South China Morning Post
30-01-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong authorities urged to provide clear answer on rescue of scam farm victims
Hong Kong authorities have been urged to provide a clear answer on their plan to rescue residents forced to work at scam farms in Southeast Asia, after the families of some victims went through the start of Lunar New Year without news about their loved ones, a situation they said was worryingly 'abnormal'. Former district councillor Andy Yu Tak-po made the appeal on Thursday, saying scam farms would usually allow the victims to talk to their families by phone or send text messages to report they were 'safe' during festive periods. 'But this Lunar New Year, some of the families did not receive any news from the victims, which made them feel very worried about their health or whether they have run into unexpected circumstances,' he wrote in a Facebook post. 'The families feel increasingly worried, and they hope that the government can give them a definitive answer about their rescue plan to ease their anxiety.' The Security Bureau sent a task force to Thailand earlier this month to discuss ways to rescue 12 Hongkongers who were lured to the country and later forced to work in scam farms in Myanmar and Cambodia. Two of them have since returned to the city. Undersecretary for Security Michael Cheuk Hau-yip (right) led a task force that met representatives of Thailand's police in Bangkok earlier this month. Photo: Sam Tsang Yu said he himself had received one more request from the family of a victim still being held by criminals.
