The Office of The Ombudsman said on Monday that it has removed investigation reports that are “no longer up to date” from its website, saying that old reports could contain information that misleads the public.

In the statement, the Ombudsman said it reviews content on its website from time to time to ensure its accuracy and relevance, noting "only [reports] from the past three years" are being retained on its website following the latest update.

It said people can apply for information that is not available on its website by completing a form online, email or in writing, starting on Tuesday.

The office added that it had also removed old reports and only retained those from the last decade during its previous website update in 2022.

The “Code on Access to Information”, a category which listed out complaints filed by citizens was also removed from the website.

Writing on social media on Monday, lawmaker Gary Zhang described the move as a step backwards, saying it is a key responsibility of the office to maintain transparency.

“If the Ombudsman relaxes its own standards, this will send the wrong message to officials it monitors. I really don’t hope to see this kind of domino effect, which is a step backwards in being transparent and open,” he wrote.

In a letter to Ombudsman Jack Chan, social welfare lawmaker Tik Chi-yuen also expressed concern and requested a thorough explanation.

Tik said the Ombudsman’s duty to monitor government departments is based on openness and transparency. He urged the office to restore all removed reports to its website and bring back the “Code on Access to Information”.