MOTION ON SUPPORT AND REBUILDING WORK AFTER THE FIRE AT WANG FUK COURT IN TAI PO
President, in the face of this sudden disaster, the Central Government has attached great importance to the situation, while the SAR Government has demonstrated highly efficient crisis management capabilities. All sectors of society have enthusiastically rallied to provide support, with Mainland enterprises and compatriots making selfless donations, bearing witness to the deep kinship between the Mainland and Hong Kong that runs thicker than water. As a representative of the financial sector, I immediately liaised with the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the banking industry to provide financial support to affected residents. This included assisting the Government in opening a bank account for the Support Fund for Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po (“the Support Fund”) within an extremely short time frame, offering temporary repayment relief, and providing complimentary safe deposit box usage. I have also contributed modestly through monetary and blood donations to support affected residents.
I support the disaster relief and rebuilding work, as well as cooperating with the Government on taking forward reform, as proposed in the motion. I hope that the progress of the reform will be regularly reported to this Council.
The Government’s short- and medium-term reform measures have progressively commenced, with the rehousing of disaster victims being a key social concern. While many have moved into interim housing, some remain lodged with relatives and friends. There are numerous options for a long-term solution: in-situ redevelopment, finding alternative land for redevelopment, or exchanging existing Home Ownership Scheme (“HOS”) property rights for new HOS units. Among them, in-situ redevelopment is expected to take the longest due to ongoing investigations and preliminary works such as demolition and piling. This extended timeline is particularly unfavourable for residents who have lost their homes, as it hampers the rebuilding of their lives.
The Social Welfare Department is currently gathering owners’ preferences to assist in formulating specific proposals. I believe the swiftest, most flexible option with the greatest latitude would be for the SAR Government to acquire all Wang Fuk Court property rights at the market value before the fire. Regardless of the option owners ultimately favour, upon receiving cash compensation, they may freely choose to immediately purchase property within or outside the district, make rent-to-own arrangements, or delay buying property until after reconstruction. Those intending to wait for reconstruction or postpone property decisions could even have their compensation deposited by the Government into a custodial account similar to “Money Safe” currently offered by banks, to be accessed only upon making their final decision.
Using valuations made by the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors as a reference, as suggested by Deputy Financial Secretary Michael WONG, acquiring the property rights of over 1 900 flats would cost approximately HK$6 billion. I fully concur that using public funds for such an acquisition would be unprecedented and must be carefully weighed.
As mentioned earlier, the current Support Fund totals $4.3 billion. After deducting funds already utilized and those required to be reserved, approximately $3 billion remains. On the surface, the Government would need to allocate an additional $3 billion. However, donations are still being received, and the Government can continue to mobilize the community to raise funds. Once the Government has consolidated the property rights, it can focus on handling complex legal procedures such as insurance claims. I estimate that at least $1 billion can be recovered, meaning the Government’s actual subsidy would be around $2 billion. Considering the total number of taxpayers, this amounts to less than $1,000 per person, which is worth considering.
Beyond rehousing, the fire safety hazards exposed during the blaze warrant reform, particularly concerning malfunctioning fire alarms and extinguishing equipment. It is encouraging that the Government has established a task force to address this. Last December, a unit in Cheung On Estate, Tsing Yi, where our district office is located, caught fire, and the fire alarm also failed to sound, indicating the issue is widespread.
Recently, the Fire Services Department has required registered fire service installation contractors to enhance the management of fire safety installations in buildings and improve information transparency, enabling residents to better understand the status of these facilities. However, the consequences of fire alarms and fire extinguishing equipment failing to function properly or becoming inoperative are extremely serious. The Government’s intention to strengthen the responsibilities of property management companies is, in my view, a very correct direction.
Furthermore, a contractor rating system should be introduced and made public. When inspections reveal a building’s fire safety system is non-functional, beyond warnings and fines, contractors must be downgraded and placed on a watchlist for intensified monitoring. Repeated poor records should result in immediate licence suspension.
The existing regulations mandate contractors to complete annual inspection checklists, which are required to be presented during testing conducted by the Fire Services Department. I propose the establishment of an electronic verification platform, to which both contractors and building management would be required to upload these checklists and associated documentation. This measure would facilitate real-time oversight and help reduce instances of overdue inspections.
Some members of the public are unfamiliar with how to use firefighting equipment, such as breaking the glass on fire alarm devices to activate hydrants. I welcome the Government’s proposal to conduct fire drills at least once annually and arrange educational seminars. It is hoped that these practical exercises will educate residents on the correct use of firefighting equipment to prevent potential hazards.
President, I so submit. Thank you.