Typhoon Hato | Fong Soi Kun’s pension suspended for 4 years

Former Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau (SMG) director Fong Soi Kun and former deputy director Florence Leong have been held accountable for failing to exercise their managerial responsibilities during Typhoon Hato, according to the results of the special investigation commissioned by the Chief Executive, Chui Sai On, announced yesterday.

Fong’s punishment was retrospective dismissal from office. Since he has retired from public service, the applicable penalty will be substituted by a four-year suspension of pension payments.

Late last month, it was announced that Fong would receive a pension of approximately MOP80,000 per month. According to a notice posted in the Official Gazette at the time, the government had approved the pension granting an amount reflecting Fong’s 35 years of serving in the SMG.

Leong was also found guilty of neglecting her duties and convicted to a 130-day suspension from current duties. Leong had already resigned from the SMG’s deputy director post (after being briefly appointed director, before Raymond Tam took office) and is now a staff member of the Bureau.

According to a statement issued yesterday by the Government Information Bureau, no further disciplinary action against the two persons will be conducted under relevant regulations and laws. The reason for this is that “their acts of misconduct associated with the period of Typhoon Hato had [have] already been reviewed in the special investigation,” the statement reads.

Chui authorized a special committee in September 2017 to investigate whether public departments and civil servants had acted appropriately during preparation for Typhoon Hato and investigate the relief work done in its aftermath.

Typhoon Hato battered Macau on August 23, causing 10 deaths and resulting in heavy economic losses.

Secretary: Fong had no connection to Hato deaths

RAIMUNDO DO Rosário has declared that he does not find a connection between the victims of typhoon Hato and the responsibilities of the former director of the Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau (SMG), Fong Soi Kun. During a talk at the University of Macau, Rosário was asked by a student whether it is enough to punish Fong by just taking away four years of his retirement pension.  On the sidelines of the talk, Rosário repeated his answer to the media, saying that “the student put the death of 10 people together with the actions of the former director [of SMG]. […] I want to clarify that I don’t want the student to have the misconception that Fong Soi Kun has a relationship with the [deaths of] 10 people. I haven’t seen any document [indicating such connection]… I will not make any comments [regarding yesterday’s announcement of Fong and Leong’s punishments],” said Rosário, adding that “we will see later” whether Leong will return to the SMG as a deputy director or not.