ATHENS ENTERS UNCHARTED TERRITORY AFTER REFERENDUM ‘NO’ VOTE FINANCE MINISTER RESIGNS P8,10,11 P20 0PINION P7 P7 P18 TUE.07 Jul 2015 T. 26º/ 31º C H. 70/ 95% Blackberry email service powered by CTM MOP 5.00 2350 N.º HKD 7.50 FOUNDER & PUBLISHER Kowie Geldenhuys EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Paulo Coutinho “ THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN’ ” WORLD BRIEFS CHINA A shoe factory Plastic roadblocks used collapses in eastern China during a weekend shift, killing at least 13 people and injuring more than 30. on a permanent basis P3 MDT REPORT HONG KONG The Land Registry revealed yesterday that a total of 43,636 sale and purchase agreements for building units were recorded in the region during the first half of the MARQUES RENATO year, down by 7.7 percent from the second half of 2014 but having increased by 27.6 percent year-on-year. The total consideration for these agreements was HKD311.5b (about USD40b), down seven percent from the second half of 2014 but up by 46.6 percent year-on- year. SOUTH KOREA The 92-year-old widow of late South Korean President Kim Dae-jung, who was a strong proponent of Korean reconciliation, will visit North Korea early next month, ex- aides to Kim said yesterday. THAILAND Prime Minister Prayut Chan-Ocha said yesterday that 14 student activists, who were earlier arrested for violating junta orders, would be tried by a military court. The 14 university students were detained late last month after staging a street rally in Bangkok to protest against the military rule, in defiance of the ban of the coup- making National Council for Peace and Order on political gatherings of more than five people. They also face sedition charges under Article 116 of the Criminal Code. THAILAND Customs officials seize 250 kilograms of ivory — or about 130 tusks and pieces — hidden in crates being shipped from Africa to Asia. AFGHANISTAN Dozens of Afghans rally to denounce last week’s court ruling that overturned the death sentences for four men convicted for taking part in Group strives to preserve the mob killing of a woman outside a Kabul shrine in March. Chinese temple tradition P4,5 HERITAGE More on backpage 07.07.2015 tue th Anniversary 2 MACAU 澳聞 Trust in fire services’ competency Bill indicates AL should have The Office of the Secretary for Security stated in a reply to a lawmaker’s inquiry that Macau’s Fire Services has enough a vote when budgets increase competencies to handle the amount of accidents in the city. It stressed that the government has always emphasized the importance of firefighting and of the public consultation on but they also examine how rescue forces, and has therefore constantly Athe amended budget fra- much money and years are to reviewed and improved facilities and mework law commences to- be involved in the entire pro- personnel. The office said Macau’s fire day, seeking opinions on the BARBOSA PAULO ject,” said Daisy Ho, stressing alerts have remained at a number of 1,100 revised regulations which go- that the budget planners have annually for the past ten years despite vern the authority’s right to to meticulously take into ac- the expansion of urban areas and of budget within public depart- count the possible increment the population, which suggests that the ments. in budgeting looming in the authorities’ promotion of fire prevention The amendment, which was coming years. has generated positive effects. It added believed to have come into Despite the newly intro- that the fire alerts reported in the first effect in time for the govern- duced policy requiring the four months of this year saw a 9 percent ment’s 2017 budget, manda- government to report on its reduction year-on-year. tes that budget increases to budget execution to the le- public infrastructure projects gislature for the first half of Penalty for breaching must reach the city’s legisla- the year at the end of July ture for examination. annually, the Financial Servi- repair order to be Nonetheless, the upcoming government will offer its ex- sembly to review the related ces Bureau will also conduct raised revised law cannot be applied planation to see if they accept budgeting,” said Stephen a review on how the budgets retroactively to the city’s on- it or not,” said Ho. “There are Iong Kong Leong, head of the will be utilized in that parti- Authorities intend to raise the penalty going public infrastructure opinions to give, yet it’s not a bureau. cular period within the 30 for building owners’ breaching of repair projects whose construction matter of approval.” The existing budget fra- days after every quarter. “If orders, once an amendment to the legal costs already overrun, revea- Under the proposed rule, the mework law, formulated in the situation deviated from regime regulating urban architectures led Daisy Ho In Mui, depu- Legislative Assembly would 1983 by the Portuguese ad- its expected prospects after is approved. The Land, Public Works ty director of the Financial be entitled to express its views ministration, fails to govern its implementation, they will and Transport Bureau (DSSOPT) said Services Bureau following a whenever a budget is increa- the government departments’ certainly have to provide us in a reply to a lawmaker’s inquiry that press briefing held at the bu- sed. On the contrary however, standby funds prepared for with related information be- it expected the draft revision to be reau’s premise yesterday. any budget revision without future contingencies in bud- fore we submit it to the Legis- finished by the end of the year and then to enter into the legislation progress. Furthermore, the official an additional increment in- get planning, as the sum could lative Assembly and explain The new clauses will strengthen legal also clarified that, differing volved will rely only on the be unlimited. However, with the matter,” she added. assistance to governmental staff in from Hong Kong’s Legislative Chief Executive’s decision. the new regulation, that back The new version of the law order to effectively push for the repair of Council in which lawmakers “For example, the bud- -up reserve is confined to only also prohibits the authori- buildings. In addition, the bureau said it possess statutory power to get has been set at MOP100 three percent of the sum of ties from transferring their will offer maintenance guidelines to the sanction a proposed budget, billion, yet under some un- the total expenditure budget. budgets across departments. titleholders of buildings so that the small the city’s legislature merely foreseeable circumstance “In compiling annual bud- Public reserves allocated to property owners can repair their buildings’ served as an advisory body. the amount has to go up to gets, not only do the depart- a designated project are also damaged area without waiting for the “It’s like, [the lawmakers] MOP110 billion, it’s neces- ments submit their fiscal re- disallowed from being spent DSSOPT’s examination report. doubt the amount, then the sary for the Legislative As- port for one particular year, on others. Staff reporter CRIME ONE SHOT NEWS Man nabbed for deliberately XINHUA using counterfeit credit cards OLICE authorities of a local travel agency in according to the Judiciary Parrested a Malaysian a transaction over a flight Police. man for illegally using cre- booking. In spite of this, The debt-ridden suspect, dit cards in the territory on his attempts to cheat some surnamed Chui and aged July 4. It was reported that other luxury stores on the 40, was said to be operating the 25-year-old suspect was Cotai strip were subse- at a gaming table inside employed by an overseas- quently in vain. His erra- a casino located in Taipa based criminal syndicate, tic behavior prompted the when the crime took place, which required him to em- attention of local security which was being recorded bark on a spending spree forces. According to the by the casino’s surveillance. upon arrival in the city PJ spokesperson, the man Despite the number of using 12 counterfeit credit would receive eight percent chips seized on the spot, cards. of a successful transaction the police officers also Intercepted by the Judi- as remuneration each time. discovered another four ciary Police (PJ) officers In a separate case, a fe- chips worth HKD40,000 at the airport in the eve- male croupier faces prose- in her locker. The suspect, Xinxin, the female bear of the new giant panda pair given by the Chinese central government as gift to Macau, celebrated her eighth birthday with children on Sunday. The Civic and Municipal ning, the suspect, surna- cution after she was caught however, denied the theft, Affairs Bureau held a special party for the panda, presenting a tailor-made ice cake made out med Yiek and self-titled as embezzling chips worth professing that her friends of juice with fresh fruits and vegetables on the top, as well as organizing dozens of little panda unemployed, successfully a total of HKD50,000 at were just returning what fans singing a “happy birthday song” to her in the panda pavilion at Seac Pai Van Park. swindled MOP36,000 out her workplace last Friday, they had owed her. 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