Hong Kong’s leader has slammed organisations that claim to be professional yet defend members under tax investigations, warning that such attempts to pressure authorities will only “expose their ugly nature”.
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Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also said that authorities would pursue legal responsibility in accordance with the law, as he responded to a question on whether the government’s recent tax reviews on members of Hong Kong Journalists Association were targeting independent media.
Last week, the city’s largest journalism group revealed that at least 20 members were asked to prepay about HK$1 million (US$127,609) following a tax review by the Inland Revenue Department, arguing the move was supported by insufficient evidence and had “inevitably” placed extra stress on the reporters and media organisations.
Lee said the department had a legal obligation to conduct tax audits and assessments.
He added no one had the right to evade taxes or avoid assessments, while noting that evasion could result in a three-year jail sentence.
“Regardless of profession – whether civil servants, professionals or non-professionals, journalists or any other occupation – no one holds a special privilege to break the law through tax evasion,” Lee told reporters before meeting with the top decision-making body Executive Council.
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