Hong Kong Standard
Samson Lee
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Five of six pro-establishment lawmakers escaped disciplinary action, despite being named and shamed for lack of due diligence in reporting their financial interests.
According to a report released yesterday by the Committee on Members’ Interests, chairwoman Sophie Leung Lau Yau-fun and Andrew Leung Kwan- yuen both of Economic Synergy, Philip Wong Yu- hong of Business and Professionals Alliance, and their allies Chim Pui-chung and Timothy Fok Tsun-ting made mistakes in reporting their financial interests.
All five admitted their failings.
Only the complaint against Ip Kwok-him of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong was unsubstantiated.
The panel investigated complaints – arising from media reports in April – about the failure of lawmakers to furnish their registrable interests, comprising their directorships or shareholdings in several companies.
Ip is the only lawmaker not from a functional constituency.
As Sophie Leung is chairwoman of the committee, the investigation was led by vice chairwoman Emily Lau Wai-hing of the Democratic Party.
Ip was cleared because he resigned as director of a funeral company on August 14, 2007, before his current legislative term commenced in October 2008. The committee named and shamed the other five lawmakers for breaching Rule 83 of the Rules of Procedure that members of the Legislative Council should provide the legislature with details of their registrable interests, not later than the first meeting of each term.
However, it did not recommend any disciplinary action. Emily Lau said the six did not take part in the deliberations.
“We have no evidence to prove that. Also we did not find any conflict of interests,” said Lau, demanding that Legco study overseas cases on how to monitor the personal interests of lawmakers.
Ip welcomed the findings but said he was shocked by the complaint as he had already resigned as director before his current Legco term.