The Commission Against Corruption (CCAC) announced yesterday that it has launched an investigation into the Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau (SMG) over its forecasting and internal management, especially over former SMG director Fong Soi Kun’s controversial handling of deadly Typhoon Hato.
Fong resigned on Thursday, a day after the super-typhoon hit Macau and killed 10 people.
According to a statement by the commission, it has received a “large number” of complaints related to the bureau from residents after the typhoon tore through the city. The complainants requested the commission investigate whether the bureau had violated any laws when forecasting the typhoon.
The statement said the commission would submit the results of the investigation to the chief executive after its completion, adding that the commission would also make the results public.
The CCAC statement also said the commission had investigated the bureau after receiving complaints from residents that the bureau had not hoisted the typhoon warning signal No. 8 when Typhoon Nida hit Macau in August last year.
The commission did not find any irregularities in that case, the statement said, adding that, however, the CCAC had already told the bureau’s top officials about the problems with its internal management and weather forecasting process and made suggestions on how to rectify the problems.
The CCAC comprises the function of a graft buster and an ombudsman. Apart from cases of alleged corruption, it also investigates allegations of maladministration.
The then director of the Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau (SMG), Fong Soi Kun, speaks to reporters on Wednesday during a special press conference held by the government at the Secretariat for Security (GSS) in the S. Francisco Barracks about Typhoon Hato. He resigned the next morning. Photo: Tony Wong
