Questions are being raised about the identity of the company that is making the reusable masks being distributed by the government and why the administration did not carry out a regular tender process to select the firm, RTHK reports. This comes after the Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Alfred Sit, said the government did not disclose the manufacturer's name and other details in order to prevent competitors from outbidding it for raw materials. Liberal Party chairman Felix Chung said though this allows faster production, he admitted that the government choosing not to disclose the manufacturer's name gives an an impression that there were underhand deals involved. He said that the authorities had never informed him about the production of reusable masks. Chief Executive Carrie Lam said at a press briefing on Tuesday that the government had set aside HK$800 million as part of its anti-epidemic fund to subsidise the development of reusable masks.

Source: The Standard May 06, 2020 10:30 UTC