Pressure to hurry must be resisted

Civil servants tasked with investigating the incident at Mirror's concert have come under undue pressure to finish the probe quickly, which is a cause for concern.

Let me repeat what I said previously: no undue pressure.

On one hand, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu made known his wish to see a report quickly.

Immediately, Culture Secretary Kevin Yeung Yun-hung gave his staff in the Leisure and Cultural Services Department one to two weeks to submit a report, together with preliminary findings.

This was despite some experts saying it may need six to eight weeks to conduct the investigation depending on the complexity of the stage.

On the other hand, lawmaker Kenneth Fok Kai-kong reiterated his call for the investigation to be completed quickly, arguing many stage workers may lose their jobs unless the mystery over how the giant video panel fell was solved.

Yesterday, the injured dancer remained in critical condition.

Meanwhile, a DAB lawmaker said he was prepared to convene a special panel meeting later this month to discuss the incident after the task force investigating it has submitted a full report.

I can imagine the tremendous pressure that investigators are facing.

Certainly, it would be good to see the investigation completed quickly. What happened at Hong Kong Coliseum has become a major talking point among the public and it is politically desirable to find the answer as soon as possible.

A big question remains: is it realistic to expect the investigators to turn in a proper report without allowing them the time needed for a thorough investigation?

While speed is desired, it isn't everything - it is more important that the investigation is done properly.

Priority must be given to the latter to make sure the findings follow due diligence.

Although decisiveness is to be appreciated, things cannot be carried out in accordance with the will of an individual at the expense of proper procedure.

Besides the LCSD, police are also investigating the incident and the case may eventually go to court for a full hearing.

In that case, the investigation report would be examined under the microscope, with any small details not properly done during the investigation strongly disputed by the affected parties.

Allowing a proper investigation is not delaying the probe but ensuring that those investigating the incident are able to obtain what they need in order to perform the task properly.

Having said that, it is legitimate for Fok to express the concern that stage workers are anxious as many may lose their jobs due to the moratorium on the use of some mechanical devices on the stage. Who wouldn't be worried?

Could the culture secretary come up with some creative solution to address Fok's concern without putting undue pressure on the investigation?

Being results-oriented is to be commended, but only if the result is properly achieved.