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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1993
"HOWEVER, IN VIEW OF THE
RECENT DISCOVERY ABOUT FORGED PRC DRIVING LICENCES AND PRC RE-ENTRY PERMITS BEING USED IN LICENCE APPLICATIONS, THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT HAS INTRODUCED NEW MEASURES IN PROCESSING APPLICATIONS."
APPLICANTS SUPPORTED BY CHINESE DRIVING LICENCES ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE AN ORIGINAL COPY OF THE STATEMENT OF TRAVEL RECORDS, OBTAINABLE FROM THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT AT $110 EACH, ΤΟ PROVE THEIR PERIOD OF CONTINUOUS RESIDENCE IN CHINA.
"IN ADDITION, THE AUTHENTICITY OF DRIVING LICENCES WILL BE CAREFULLY SCRUTINISED. THIS INCLUDES REFERRING THE LICENCES TO THE ORIGINAL PLACES OF ISSUE, WHERE NECESSARY. IN SUCH CASES, PROCESSING PERIODS OF APPLICATIONS MIGHT BE LENGTHENED, " SPOKESMAN ADDED.
THE
THE
LAST YEAR, ABOUT 1,840 HONG KONG FULL DRIVING LICENCES HAVE BEEN ISSUED TO APPLICANTS ON THE STRENGTH OF PRC DRIVING LICENCES.
THE LICENSEES INCLUDE NEW IMMIGRANTS WHO CAME TO SETTLE IN HONG KONG, AND CHINESE DRIVERS ENGAGED IN CROSS-BORDER TRANSPORT SERVICES.
CONCERNING THE OPERATION MOUNTED BY THE INDEPENDENT COMMISSION AGAINST CORRUPTION (ICAC) ON AUGUST 25 IN RESPECT OF APPLICANTS WHO ATTEMPTED TO OBTAIN A HONG KONG LICENCE BY UTTERING FORGED CHINESE DRIVING LICENCES AND SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION, THE SPOKESMAN CONFIRMED THAT ALTHOUGH ICAC ENQUIRIES WERK STILL CONTINUING, THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT STAFF OF THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT HAD BEEN INVOLVED.
AND ABSOLUTELY NO STAFF OF THE DEPARTMENT HAD BEEN REQUESTED
TO ASSIST THE ICAC IN THE INVESTIGATIONS, HE SAID,
"IN FACT, IT WAS THE VIGILANT TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT STAFF WHO ALERTED THE AUTHORITIES OF THE PROBLEM THAT LED TO THE CRACKDOWN OF SYNDICATES, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
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"ALL SIMILAR APPLICATIONS RECEIVED AND APPROVED IN THE PAST TWO YEARS ARE BEING RE-EXAMINED, AND SUSPICIOUS CASES WILL BE INVESTIGATED. ALL LICENCES OBTAINED BY FRAUDULENT MEANS WILL, SUBJECT ΤΟ THE APPEALS PROCEDURE REQUIRED BY LAW, BE WITHDRAWN AND CANCELLED, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
SO FAR, 192 DRIVING LICENCES
LICENSEES HAD BEEN INFORMED IN WRITING.
HAVE BERN CANCELLED AND THE
ACCORDING TO THE ROAD TRAFFIC ORDINANCE, CONVICTED OFFENDERS WHO USE FORGED DOCUMENTS WITH INTENT TO DECEIVE ARE LIABLE TO A FINE OF $10,000 AND IMPRISONMENT FOR THREE MONTHS.
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