The retirement of former Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau (SMG) Director Fong Soi Kun won’t impact the ongoing investigation by the Commission Against Corruption (CCAC) into his controversial handling of killer typhoon Hato’s warning signals, the Secretariat for Administration and Justice said in a statement Thursday.
The statement came in response to an announcement in the Official Gazette (BO) earlier this week,
which stated that Fong will get a monthly pension of 890 salary points (equivalent to MOP 73,870) after he had applied to retire, based on the current public service regulations.
The day after Super Typhoon Hato pummelled Macau on August 23 and killed 10, Chief Executive Fernando Chui Sai On accepted Fong’s resignation over the latter’s widely criticised handling of Hato’s warning signals. Fong submitted his resignation for “personal reasons”. Fong also applied to retire when he handed in Chui his resignation.
Official sources said at that time that Fong was close to retirement age.
Late last month, the CCAC launched an investigation into the bureau over its typhoon forecasting process and internal management, especially over Fong’s controversial handling of the hoisting of Hato’s warning signals.
According to the Macau Post Daily the announcement on Fong getting the pension has sparked anger among netizens.
In response, the government’s statement said that while Fong had “taken voluntary retirement”, it would not influence the CCAC’s investigation launched late last month, adding that Fong’s “voluntary retirement” would neither influence the possible disciplinary and criminal responsibilities that Fong may have to face.
