Ombudsman awards record number of prizes for public service excellence
Hong Kong Ombudsman Chan Chi-ku presented a record number of excellence awards at the 29th Ombudsman Awards ceremony on 30 October. The awards recognised seven departments and institutions, 84 individual officers, and 15 teams, with the Customs and Excise Department winning the gold award.
Hong Kong Ombudsman Chan Chi-ku presented a record number of prizes at the 29th Ombudsman Awards ceremony on 30 October, recognising outstanding public service by government departments, public bodies, teams and individual officers. The ceremony, which attracted more than 480 guests, awarded seven institutional prizes, 84 individual prizes and 15 team prizes, all setting new records for the scheme.
The Customs and Excise Department won the gold award. The Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD) took the silver award, and the Legislative Council Secretariat won bronze. Other institutional winners included the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (mediation award), the Hong Kong Police Force (technology application and creativity award), Hongkong Post (customer service award), and the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority (positive attitude toward complaints award).
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Chan said his office had achieved breakthroughs in mediation, cross-departmental collaboration, and proactive investigations in the past year. He highlighted the clearance of illegally occupied government land on Wo Tsz Shan in Sham Shui Po as an example of effective inter-agency cooperation that alleviated public concerns. He called on departments to adopt a "one government" approach and focus on people-centred service delivery.
The Customs and Excise Department was recognised for its work in national security, anti-smuggling and revenue protection. The department has adopted advanced technology and artificial intelligence under its "Smart Customs" blueprint to improve enforcement and service levels, and has introduced trade facilitation measures that support Hong Kong's role as a logistics and trade hub.
The PCPD received the silver award for strictly enforcing the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance, streamlining case-handling procedures, and using mediation to resolve disputes efficiently. It has also set up a hotline and issued guidelines on emerging issues such as doxxing, data security and AI safety.
The Legislative Council Secretariat was praised for supporting the legislature's constitutional functions, improving complaint procedures, and deploying innovative technology including an AI transcription system to improve the efficiency of meeting records. The Police Force was honoured for developing mobile applications and systems that use AI to enhance e-services, anti-fraud protection and emergency response capabilities. Hongkong Post was recognised for improving customer service and complaint handling, while the MPF Schemes Authority won the new "positive attitude toward complaints" award for its constructive response to Ombudsman recommendations during the rollout of the eMPF platform.
Mr Chan congratulated all winners and noted the government's recent announcement of reforms following the independent committee report on the Wang Fu Court fire. He pledged the Ombudsman's full support for these reforms, adding that his office would continue to work with departments to improve governance and align with national and local development plans.