LegCo election to go ahead, apparently. Millions rejoice. It would be interesting to know what officials thought when making the decision. Did they wonder whether public opinion would see sticking to the schedule soon after the Tai Po fire as disrespectful or callous? Were they concerned that postponement would make the polls look expendable? Did they worry that turnout might be lower if (say) voters stayed away as a form of protest? Or did they calculate that voters would be even more exhausted by prolonged promotional campaigns?
Or maybe they just went by the book. The CE can postpone an election for two weeks for public safety reasons (like a major typhoon). Anything longer would require the use of emergency powers.
Kevin Yam on the release of Miles Kwan…
Normally, HK law enforcement officers LOVE to have the media swarm around the vehicle taking arrested persons out of the station and have the media take as many photos and videos as they want.
…But if one looks closely at this video [here] of Miles Kwan leaving the police station, one will see that the HK police made all efforts to try and stop the media from filming. They only failed because they underestimated the size of the media contingent present at the scene.
Peggy Wong distances herself. (Why do these people all have that ‘DAB look’?)
A former Tai Po resident writes in the Diplomat…
How could fire alarms be disabled for a housing estate of over 4,600 residents? If the government enforced safety standards as necessary, could this have been prevented in the first place? How is the government not more concerned with the underlying series of oversights that have led to this tragedy?
John Lee just ordered a judge led independent commission to investigate this result. This along with letting that poor kid go does renew my hope that justice will be served.
@Mark Bradley: Will the judge have the same “independence” the national security judges have? Or even more “independence”?
Overwhelming public emotions had to be addressed before the Selection. But will it be an NS judge?
And how did a company like Prestige raking in millions from so many projects, some public, manage to operate with such a low profile.?
Try searching for some background info, like who owns it, leads only to a statement that it is a private company.
Restrictions to access to data in recent years have facilitated shady operators to fly under the radar.
As dodgy cash here goes into property, a cross check on the real estate owned by the arrested would indicate if they are foot soldiers. One contractor involved in the reno scams who did an interview indicated that there is a big boss who controls the operations.
I was surprised to read about the independent enquiry in the South China Military and Scientific Review (aka SCMP) just now. Let’s hope it’s really independent and that the results will be made public.
@Casira
Well in the past (before 2019) these Independent Commissions were handled well and tended to get to the truth.
We never had an Independent Commission in post-NSL Hong Kong so you do bring up some valid concerns.
If the judge appointed (by the Chief Executive in Council) to lead the Commission is also an NSL judge then I would indeed have concerns. The reason NSL judges don’t have the same level of independence as a non NSL judge is because of the fact that their term is 1 year only and if the government is unsatisfied they can simply not renew their term. Non NSL judges don’t have such short terms and therefore do not have the same pressure to please the executive.
Let’s wait and see who is appointed as Judge-Commissioner. If it is a non NSL judge with a good history when it comes to past rulings then I will have confidence in the Commission.
Hmmm I just realized they’re using weasel words and this is an “Independent Review Committee” and not a Commission of Inquiry under the Commissions of Inquiry Ordinance like an earlier SCMP “Breaking News” push notification had suggested.
An “Independent Review Committee” does not have the same high level of investigatory powers as a Commission of Inquiry. It cannot subpoena officials.
The Lamma ferry accident had a Commission of Inquiry, but this doesn’t?
Sadly it seems @Casira was right to be concerned.
@Mark Bradley
Your conditional confidence in the results of any government-appointed commission is charming.
It’s almost as if the Beijing takeover never took place.
Conclusions first, investigation after. That’s their motto.
Perhaps they think running the election when the fire is still foremost in people’s minds will make the low turnout easier to brush off or less embarrassing?
@Lord Dunning
Indeed. I really wish the clock could be turned back and the Beijing takeover never happened. And when things look like they are a step in that direction, it’s all too easy for me to be unrealistically optimistic. But now it’s back to reality.
“Conclusions first, investigation after. That’s their motto.”
Can’t really argue with that since that is how they run their elections.
I hope the government understands that the credibility of the Commission of Inquiry hinges on senior official(s) being held to account for this tragedy.
That’s especially true given today’s announcement about the Lamma Ferry disaster
https://hongkongfp.com/2025/12/02/hong-kong-survivors-families-seek-answers-to-deadly-lamma-ferry-disaster/
@Departing soon
It’s not even a Commission of Inquiry like with the Lamma Ferry disaster. It’s a Judge-led “Independent Review Committee” which does not have the same high level of investigatory powers as a Commission of Inquiry. It cannot subpoena officials. It’s not formed under the Commissions of Inquiry Ordinance.
HKers have discerning eyes as famously said during a debate by Donald “Bowtie” Tsang. People weren’t fooled by this, yet principal officials (or perhaps their minders) always seem to think HK people are unsophisticated morons. Insane levels of projection.