Latest news with #SocialWelfareDepartment
HKFP
8 hours ago
- HKFP
Hong Kong activist sentenced to 120 hours of community service for defrauding gov't in welfare scheme
A Hong Kong activist has been handed 120 hours of community service for defrauding the government of HK$16,780 in welfare benefits from a subsidy scheme for the elderly. Eddie Tse, a 68-year-old licensed social worker, appeared at the Eastern Magistrates' Court on Thursday morning. He earlier pleaded guilty to four counts of fraud relating to the government's Old Age Living Allowance scheme, which gives a monthly stipend to those aged 65 and above earning below a certain income. The judge sentenced Tse to 120 hours of community service, saying he took his remorse into account. According to the prosecution's case, Tse defrauded the Social Welfare Department (SWD) of four monthly payments of HK$4,195 last year – in July, August, November and December – a total of HK$16,780. The subsidy is means-tested with a monthly income cap of HK$10,710 for a single person, or HK$16,330 for a married couple. The SWD requires beneficiaries whose income exceeds the limit after the one-year grace period to declare to authorities, but Tse did not, the prosecution alleged. Tse was said to have hidden income from his part-time job as a supervisor at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, as well as commission for his work on the Social Workers Registration Board's disciplinary committee, which exceeded the Social Welfare Department's cap. His lawyer, Andy Chan, said during a mitigation hearing earlier this month that those jobs did not provide Tse with a fixed monthly income. At the sentencing, Magistrate David Cheung questioned why Tse had pleaded guilty if his case was that he had mistakenly believed he qualified for the welfare scheme after calculating and averaging his income by month. Chan said there was no conflict between Tse's guilty plea and his case, and that the basis of his plea direction was recklessness, as he had not made precise calculations to check his eligibility for the scheme. Legal aid application A veteran activist, Tse has advocated on a host of issues relating to his social work profession and beyond, from environmental matters to columbaria. The fraud case came to light after Tse applied for legal aid last August for his judicial review – a legal tool to challenge government policies – of the authorities' controversial plan to build the San Tin Technopole, a tech hub near the city's border with mainland China. Tse, as well as other activists and green groups, has expressed concerns about the potential harm to wetland conservation efforts. Legal aid applications are means-tested, meaning they are subject to the authorities' review of applicants' financial circumstances. Tse's application was left hanging for months, prompting the court to delay the judicial review. Tse was arrested for fraud in January, and days later, his legal aid application was rejected. The judicial review was dismissed in April, after a High Court judge barred former pro-democracy councillor Debby Chan from taking over the challenge from Tse. During hearings related to the judicial review, Tse's lawyer said he and his family members had been on the receiving end of harassment due to his attempt to challenge the government.
South China Morning Post
10 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Retired Hong Kong social worker given community service for defrauding authorities
A retired Hong Kong social worker behind a dropped legal challenge arising from the San Tin Technopole project has been sentenced to community service for defrauding authorities out of HK$16,780 (US$2,138) in welfare benefits. Advertisement Eastern Court on Thursday adopted a probation officer's recommendation to sentence Eddie Tse Sai-kit to 120 hours of unpaid community work after his lawyer said he 'recklessly' understated his earnings to obtain four months' worth of old age living allowances last year. A presentencing report cited the 68-year-old defendant as saying he had mistakenly believed that he only needed to report his average monthly income over the year in his application to the Social Welfare Department. Acting Principal Magistrate David Cheung Chi-wai at one point questioned whether the court should accept the 68-year-old defendant's earlier guilty plea , before finding that his failure to make an accurate declaration went beyond mere negligence and deserved criminal sanction. Cheung also noted that Tse had admitted wrongdoing at the first opportunity and was remorseful. Advertisement Tse was arrested early this year while he was challenging an environmental impact assessment report that endorsed the development of a technology hub near the mainland Chinese border
New Indian Express
11 hours ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Over 900 Internal Committees formed under PoSH Act in Krishnagiri; hotels, showrooms yet to comply
KRISHNAGIRI: As of the second week of July, a total of 942 Internal Committees (ICs) have been formed in Krishnagiri district under The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (PoSH Act). Additionally, the department has received nil reports from 1,007 industries and companies with fewer than ten employees, where committee formation is not mandated. However, hotels offering boarding and lodging, along with textile and jewelry showrooms, are yet to form ICs and submit their reports to the District Social Welfare Office (DSWO). Sources from the Social Welfare Department told TNIE that these committees have been established in private and government educational institutions, government offices, industries, and private clinics. The PoSH Act was enacted to ensure a safe and secure work environment for all women and to provide an effective mechanism for redressing sexual harassment complaints. The law mandates that organizations with ten or more employees must constitute an IC under Section 4 of the Act to receive and address complaints of sexual harassment in the workplace. Consequently, 942 committees were formed in the district following various awareness programs and letters sent to multiple departments by the district social welfare department.
New Straits Times
15 hours ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
Anwar: Sejahtera Madani scheme will help eradicate hardcore poverty
KUALA LUMPUR: The government will launch the Sejahtera Madani initiative today as part of efforts to eradicate hardcore poverty, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. He said the initiative was a continuation of the government's commitment to supporting the hardcore poor and the poor, through joint efforts by the government and the corporate sector. "Eradicating hardcore poverty has been my priority since the beginning. By the end of 2024, nearly 150,000 hardcore poor households were lifted out of poverty." He said this during a special announcement yesterday that was broadcast live on television channels and social media. Anwar, who is finance minister, said the government had been improving assistance to the people to ease the burden of living expenses since the beginning of his tenure. He said one of the most significant steps was the allocation of RM13 billion for Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara), the largest such allocation in the nation's history. "Cash assistance under the Social Welfare Department was increased to RM2.9 billion to boost the monthly welfare assistance for the elderly and children from poor families." He said the government also empowered padi farmers by raising the padi floor price to RM1,500 this year, following increases in 2022 and 2023, and increasing the padi price subsidy scheme rate to RM500 in 2023. In the commodity sector, he said the government increased the rubber production incentive to RM3 per kg last year, following increases in 2022 and 2023. He announced a one-off RM100 cash aid to every adult citizen under the Sara programme, postponed the toll rate increase for 10 highways and lowered the RON95 price to RM1.99 per litre. He said more initiatives would be introduced in the 2026 Budget in October. "These are the measures for now. By the end of 2025, we hope to improve with a clearer commitment to provide benefits in the 2026 Budget in October."
The Sun
a day ago
- Business
- The Sun
Melaka sets RM1,279 PGK threshold for JKM aid applications
MELAKA: A Poverty Line Income (PGK) threshold of RM1,279 has been set as a key criterion for individuals applying for Social Welfare Department (JKM) assistance in Melaka. State Women, Family and Community Development Committee chairman Datuk Kalsom Nordin confirmed the figure during the State Legislative Assembly session. The rate, determined by the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) under the Ministry of Economy, is based on the Household Income, Expenditure and Basic Amenities Survey conducted by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM). 'The PGK for Melaka is set at RM1,279, while the federal rate is RM1,198 for the entire household, (based on data) released by the EPU in 2022,' Kalsom said in response to a query from Datuk Zaidi Attan (BN–Serkam). Four assistance schemes are available under the PGK framework: Child Assistance, Senior Citizen Assistance, General State Assistance, and Disabled Persons Assistance. Applicants exceeding the PGK threshold may still qualify for other schemes, including the Disabled Workers Allowance (income limit RM1,700), Chronic Patient and Disabled Persons Care Assistance (RM5,000 and below), Bantuan Anak Pelihara, and the Apprentice Training Allowance—both without income restrictions. Additional subsidies include the Autistic Children's Learning Fee Subsidy (per capita income RM4,000 and below) and Childcare Fee Subsidy (per capita income RM800 and below). As of June 2025, JKM has disbursed RM79.8 million to 29,247 recipients across various aid programmes. – Bernama
