RTHK reports applicant for FASP accused of offering $500 bribe to staff

The content discusses the charges once morest a female student for allegedly bribing a staff member of the Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Office with $500 when applying for financial assistance. The ICAC charged the female defendant with one count of offering an advantage to a public official. She was released on bail and is set to plead in the Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts.
The defendant is a 20-year-old student who applied for financial aid under the Post-secondary Student Financial Aid Scheme. Her application was preliminarily approved, and she was set to receive full tuition and bursaries of more than 80,000 yuan.
In July last year, the SFO issued the first tranche of subsidy over 44,000 yuan to the defendant, and asked her to provide the income records of her parents issued by the Inland Revenue Department. An assistant clerical officer received a letter from the defendant in October containing two completed forms and a $500 note. The incident was reported to the ICAC, leading to the charges once morest the defendant.


The ICAC charged a female applicant of the Post-Secondary Student Financial Assistance Scheme with bribing a staff member of the Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Office with $500 when applying for financial assistance. She was charged with one count of offering an advantage to a public official. She was released on bail , to plead in the Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts this Thursday.

The 20-year-old female defendant, Safia Kalsoom, was studying in the second year of the Yew Chung Early Childhood Education College’s Advanced Diploma program in June last year, and submitted an application for financial aid under the Post-secondary Student Financial Aid Scheme to the SFO. The defendant’s application was preliminarily approved by the Office of Student Finance, and following his parents’ income certificates passed the review, he will receive full tuition and bursaries of more than 80,000 yuan.

In July last year, the SFO issued the first tranche of subsidy over 44,000 yuan to the defendant, and asked her to provide the income records of her parents issued by the Inland Revenue Department. funding.

An assistant clerical officer of the SFO received a letter from the defendant at the end of October last year, which contained two completed forms and a $500 note. The relevant form should be submitted to the Inland Revenue Department to request the income of the defendant’s parents After receiving the report, the SFO referred the incident to the ICAC.



It is disheartening to hear regarding individuals resorting to bribery and corruption to gain financial assistance for education. The case of Safia Kalsoom serves as a reminder of the importance of integrity and ethical conduct in all aspects of life, particularly in the pursuit of education. Hopefully, this incident will serve as a wake-up call to those who may be considering similar actions and encourage them to make the right choices. It is crucial to uphold the standards of fairness and honesty in all our dealings, especially in matters as important as education.

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