John Lee sets lead departments for 1823 cases
SingTao · 3 SOURCESabout 4 hours ago5 MIN
Summary
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu (李家超) said the government will strengthen the 1823 complaint-handling system by assigning a designated lead department to take ownership of cases and follow them through to resolution. He said disputes over departmental responsibility will be escalated to the Deputy Chief Secretary, who will make the final decision. Lee said the reform is meant to address overlapping jurisdiction and cases that appear to fall outside any department's remit, while also using artificial intelligence to move from post-complaint action to preventive management. He added that the government may consider a fair rotation mechanism for cases with unclear ownership, so officials do not avoid action for fear of overstepping authority.
Key Points
- Speaking on Saturday, 19 September, after unveiling his Policy Address on Wednesday, 16 September, Lee said the 1823 overhaul targets “faster referrals” and “getting things done”.
- Lee said many cross-department complaints involve overlapping management powers or areas where no department appears responsible, leaving cases unresolved under the old culture.
- Under the new approach, 1823 will analyse complaints and assign a specified lead department, while other relevant departments will be required to cooperate.
- If departments argue over jurisdiction, the Deputy Chief Secretary will intervene and issue the final ruling; Lee said this should reduce buck-passing.
- Lee also said AI will help identify wider risks from individual complaints, such as checking similar playground equipment elsewhere after one metal strip breaks
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong residents, the change could mean fewer complaints being trapped between departments and a clearer line of accountability when public-space or municipal problems are reported. The plan also ties complaint handling more closely to data-led prevention, which could shift government services from case-by-case response toward earlier inspection and intervention.