Hong Kong’s leader says police will investigate suspicious withdrawals from organ donation register

By KANIS LEUNG
Associated Press

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong’s leader says police will investigate suspicious applications from people seeking to withdraw from the city’s organ donation system. The opt-in system has more than 357,000 registrants, but 5,800 applications to withdraw were received in the past five months. More than half were invalid. The rise in withdrawal applications came as the government was considering linking the organ donation program with mainland China’s. Some Hong Kongers distrust China’s health care system, and others distrust the Chinese government after its crackdown on Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement. Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee on Tuesday condemned the alleged attempt to damage the organ donation system as a shameful act.