Probe into 'data breach' in organ registry withdrawals

Police are investigating if some people's information has been fraudulently used for withdrawing from organ donation, Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung said.

Speaking to reporters yesterday, Tang alleged the suspects used others' information to withdraw from the organ donation registry to create an appearance that many people are unhappy with the cross-border transplant mechanism.

He recalled a four-month-old girl, Cleo Lai Tsz-hei, who received a heart transplant from a mainland donor last December, saying it was a "huge good deed."

"But some people who would like to endanger our national security are intentionally distorting these good deeds, saying you will be automatically registered if you don't opt out from the organ donation registry," he said.

"These people include some former district councillors exiled overseas," he added.

This came after the Health Bureau revealed last week an "abnormally high" number - 5,785 - of withdrawals of prospective organ donors over the past five months.

It was said that among the opt-out donors, over half of them had never registered to become donors.

Tang said potential charges include access to computers with criminal or dishonest intent or even offenses under the national security law.

On a separate issue, Tang slammed Civic Party chairman Alan Leong Kah-kit's "frivolous attitude," and said Leong should apologize to students and their parents for encouraging the youngsters to use violence during the anti-extradition protest in 2019.

"I saw Leong's frivolous attitude when speaking to reporters last Saturday to disband the Civic Party, which makes me feel that he and his party were not related to the 2019 riot," he said.

He said Leong had once encouraged students to use violence to resolve problems during a speech in July 2019, which allegedly led to many students being arrested and prosecuted.

Tang added that the police are investigating whether the Civic Party has been involved in any criminal offenses.

"We will make an arrest when there is evidence, and thus will institute prosecution against these people whenever we have enough evidence," he said.

The pan-democratic Civic Party passed a resolution on Saturday to wind up after 17 years.

The party, formed in 2006 by professionals, including lawyers, accountants and scholars, is considered a moderate voice in the pan-democratic camp.

Ex-Civic Party legislators Alvin Yeung Ngok-kiu, Jeremy Tam Man-ho, and Kwok Ka-ki are currently in custody.

eunice.lam@singtaonewscorp.com