And just what purpose does hiding this from the public serve?

Urgent Notice from the Liaoning Provincial Department of Propaganda: Do not conduct interviews, report or comment on the case of Fengcheng City Party Secretary Wang Guoqiang leaving the country without authorization. (August 26, 2012)

辽宁省委宣传部紧急通知：对辽宁凤城市委书记王国强擅自离境一事，不采访，不报道，不评论。

The CDT says that according to Radio France Internationale [zh], Wang Guoqiang is rumored to have fled the country with a large sum of money to evade a corruption investigation. He is thought to have siphoned funds from heating bills. Since Kaite Group bought the local thermoelectric plant, the city has gone without heat for two winters, while still charging residents for “maintenance.”

My guess is trying to hide this has done nothing for the public and a lot of damage to the authorities already tatty reputation. It may have been a vain attempt to save some officials embarrassment or awkward questions but did the authors of this directive really think no-one was going to notice they were freezing and and man in charge of keeping them warm had disappeared with a load of cash?

If you have a censorship policy because you believe it is necessary to protect social harmony then it needs to be used sparingly and with caution. Once it becomes nothing but a tool for the crooked, the weak or the incompetent to hide their faults then social harmony is heading out the door passing social upheaval making its way in.