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James Porteous

Almost got close to one of Hong Kong’s lesser-spotted species in the wild the other day: a real-life Mega Events Fund official.
These elusive beasts are normally almost impossible to catch in real life and alas it proved so again at a UBS Hong Kong Golf Open press conference, an MEF-supported event.
With the fund finally set for the scrapheap, I had a couple of questions.
But the flighty official took wing midway through the press conference and it felt unseemly to give chase, especially as the sponsor was at that moment extolling its charity work, with videos of terribly ill kids and the like.
The official line thus remains, “The government is reviewing the way forward of the MEF and an announcement will be made in due course.”
But it’s no great surprise the MEF is set finally to be put out of its misery.
Since its ill-conceived inception in 2009, it has become a byword for bungling incompetence bordering on corruption. The ICAC recommended it be shut down as early as 2010.

A report by the Audit Commission in 2014 was a litany of failure: inflated job numbers at events, questionable spending items, lack of invoice and payroll records, conflicts of interests, etc.
Hong Kong's major sports events under threat with government set to scrap Mega Events Fund
That was followed by a Public Accounts Committee hearing whose minutes repeatedly use the phrases “finds it unacceptable and inexcusable...” and “expresses astonishment and finds it unacceptable...”
In Bureaucratese, this is incendiary language and would normally see heads roll – not at the MEF though.
Jeffrey Lam Kin-fung has been the head of the fund’s assessment committee since its inception. His DNA 90 per cent Teflon, he was reappointed to his position almost immediately after those apparently-not-as-damning-as-you-would-think reports.

Lam is best known for one of the most farcical moments in Legco’s recent history, when in 2015 he bungled an attempted walkout by Beijing-loyalist lawmakers intended to hold up a vote on political reform.
His other claim to fame is having his driving licence suspended for cruising down a road against oncoming traffic on his way to a music event blatantly designed to entice youngsters away from July 1 pro-democracy protests.
Mega Events Fund must be axed
With those organisational and navigational skills, it’s no surprise tthe MEF has not been a stunning success.
Local sporting officials have long cursed it for its lack of transparency, Byzantine assessment process and apparent determination not to actually fund any events, mega or otherwise.
It is next to impossible to get anyone to voice those criticisms on record as that would black-ball their organisation from future funding.
Perhaps after its death is confirmed some amusing horror stories might come out, but officials will likely still be wary of offending whatever replaces it.

Because that is the key question. Something must replace the MEF – and it should be a body solely focused on supporting sporting events rather than vaguely attracting tourists. We have far too many of the latter and too few of the former.
It should be managed by senior professionals from local governing bodies who actually know something about sport.
While the members of the MEF’s assessment committee are bedecked in Bauhinia Stars and surely expert and respected in their fields of business, academia, hospitality, etc, the extent of their understanding of, or interest in, sport is less clear.
There is some worry in the sports community about the MEF’s imminent demise, but also a quiet optimism that something – hopefully better – will replace it. The what, how, why and when of that remain to be answered.
Given that 2017 is the 20th anniversary of the handover, you’d think the government would want as many major events as possible in the city to commemorate it (and perhaps distract an increasingly disgruntled public, bread-and-circuses style), and desire a swift transition.
There does exist another body helping to assist and fund sports tournaments – the Major Sports Event Committee and its “M” Mark scheme.
It seems to have been doing a fine job (well, it’s at least avoided repeatedly being publically chastised by the government); expanding its remit and funding powers seems an obvious, simple solution.
Unfortunately, as we’ve repeatedly seen – and Mr Lam can attest from personal experience – obvious and simple is not always the Hong Kong government way.


No-one will mourn the incompetent Mega Events Fund – but Hong Kong sport needs a swift replacement

Venus Williams in action at the MEF-sponsored Hong Kong Tennis Open. SCMP/ K. Y. Cheng

Jeffrey Lam Kin-fung, Chairman of the Mega Events Fund's assessment committee, talks about Mega Events Fund and political reform on RTHK 1 radio programme in Kowloon Tong. 19APR14

( L to R) Lawmaker Gary Chan Hak-kan, Alan Leong Kah-kit, Abraham Razack, Kenneth Leung Kai-cheong and Ng Leung-sing attend a press Conference of the Public Accounts Committee at Legco Building in Tamar. 09JUL14

Organiser Ramzi Wu Hing-yin (Left) and other local football fans stage a protest at Admiralty against a HK$8 million handout from the government’s Mega Events Fund to invite Manchester United’s to the city next July when they will play Hong Kong side Kitchee in a friendly match. 20OCT12

Hong Kong's major sports events under threat with government set to scrap Mega Events Fund

Action from the Dragon Boat Festival in Aberdeen in June. Photo: Reuters

Justin Rose is all smile after winning the final round of the 57th UBS Hong Kong Open at the Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling. 25OCT15

Caroline Wozniacki from Denmark celebrates after win a match at 2016 Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open in Victoria Park Tennis Stadium. 16OCT16 SCMP / K. Y. Cheng

Lucas Bjerregaard takes a shot at hole 3 during the 57th UBS Hong Kong Open at the Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling. 25OCT15 [This photo won the first prize in the Sports Photographic section, 2015 HK News Awards]

UBS Hong Kong Open

Cover-up or negligence? Lawmakers probe handling of HK$250m Mega Events Fund

Lawmaker Wong Yuk-man speaks to Permanent Secretary Andrew Wong during a break in yesterday's hearing. Photo: Edward Wong

HK$250m Mega Events Fund bungling is 'inexcusable', say lawmakers

Lawmakers hold copies of the Public Accounts Committee's report into the government's handling of the Mega Events Fund. Photo: Sam Tsang

Jeffrey Lam Kin-fung was reappointed as chairman of the Mega Events Fund last month. Photo: David Wong 

ICAC advised government that Mega Events Fund should be shut down in 2010

The Dragon and Lion Dance Extravaganza was one of the events criticised in the Audit Commission's report. Photo: Edward Wong

DAB lawmaker Chan Kam-lam organised an event that may have involved the misuse of public money. Photo: Dickson Lee

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Bungling body was a byword for failure, but at least it managed to back a few major sports tournaments along the way


Expresses the views, ideas and conclusions of the author. (Eg. Enough of Crazy Rich Asians, think of crazy poor Hongkongers.)


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Column | No-one will mourn the incompetent Mega Events Fund – but Hong Kong sport needs a swift replacement

Bungling body was a byword for failure, but at least it managed to back a few major sports tournaments along the way