The Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau announced on Tuesday the completion of its disciplinary investigation into the bottled drinking water procurement scandal and a review of the government's procurement system.
A bureau spokesperson noted that the task force, led by Secretary Christopher Hui Ching-yu, proposed initial recommendations in October to bolster fraud prevention, with ongoing discussions for additional improvements.
The government is currently studying the investigation report and consulting the Department of Justice to determine the necessary disciplinary actions.
The results are expected to be completed and announced next month, alongside the task force report.
Separately, the Government Logistics Department launched an open tender today for supplying bottled drinking water to government offices on Hong Kong Island and select outlying islands.
Following the new guidelines issued in October, this tender has enhanced related requirements at various stages, including the preparation of tender documents, the assessment of bids, and contract management.
These enhancements support procurement staff in preventing fraud and ensuring reliable contractors who can consistently deliver bottled water per agreement terms.
The scandal emerged when a HK$52.9 million contract with Shenzhen-based Xin Ding Xin was terminated in June after the alleged manufacturer denied any connection, raising suspicions of false claims about the water's origin.
