Lawmakers flag gaps in proposed building management rules after Tai Po fire
Tightening proxy votes and strengthening oversight are moves in ‘correct’ direction, but legislators cite potential drawbacks and loopholes
Their warnings on Thursday coincided with the announcement of a second round of raids by the Competition Commission in connection with a bid-rigging case involving 28 housing estates and buildings, and contracts with an estimated total value of about HK$500 million (US$63.7 million).
The government has stepped up enforcement against problematic contractors and strengthened building maintenance procedures since the catastrophic blaze at Wang Fuk Court that killed 168 people last November.
Authorities on Wednesday began a consultation, which is set to last a month, to gather feedback on five major proposed amendments to the Building Management Ordinance.
“The overall direction is correct and has responded to residents’ concerns, but the key point is how to bolster building management protections for individual owners to avoid management problems, while balancing the fact that not many owners can attend the meeting for general matters,” lawmaker Bill Tang Ka-piu told a radio programme a day later.
Issues of building management and owner governance came under intense scrutiny during an independent committee hearing into the cause of the Tai Po fire, with testimonies raising allegations of bid-rigging and proxy vote collection.