Strong resolve: Secretary for Commerce, Industry & Technology Joseph Wong said the Government was determined to end annoying junk calls.

A bill aiming to tackle so-called 'junk' email and phone calls will be submitted to the Legislative Council in June or July, Secretary for Commerce, Industry & Technology Joseph Wong says.

Speaking on an RTHK programme this morning, Mr Wong said the proposed bill would impose a fine on anyone who repeatedly makes unsolicited phone calls or sends unwanted email, causing a nuisance to the public.

Ofta has role to play

A complainant can report nuisance cases to Office of the Telecommunications Authority who will then contact the relevant senders to stop their unwanted deluge of messages. The service is free of charge.

Mr Wong added the Commerce, Industry & Technology Bureau has submitted an amended bill  on the Copyrights Ordinance to LegCo, enhancing protection of intellectual rights in Hong Kong.

Publicity on intellectual property protection

The bureau will join hands with the Customs & Excise Department and the Intellectual Property Department to launch a publicity campaign on intellectual property protection next week.

The campaign will appeal to parents to co-operate in guarding their children against downloading proprietary content from the web, and highlight the around-the-clock internet surveillance Customs undertakes.

On the public broadcasting review in Hong Kong, Mr Wong urged the public to keep an open mind on the review, and participate actively in the process. He reminded listeners of a public forum to be held in June, in which industry practitioners of public broadcasting from the United States, the UK, Australia and Japan have been invited to join the  discussion.