Ex-adviser Peggy Wong, long accused of ties to renovation plan, now calls for police, ICAC action

Peggy Wong Pik-kiu — the district councilor long accused by some residents of helping drive Wang Fuk Court’s contentious HK$330 million renovation project — has moved to distance herself from the estate’s management turmoil by calling for police and ICAC investigations into the current owners’ corporation (OC), following the catastrophic five-alarm blaze that left multiple residents dead and injured.

Wong, a former adviser to the previous OC and a DAB district councilor, issued a strongly worded statement on Monday announcing that she would report the current OC for alleged misconduct, safety negligence, and corruption.

The fire has triggered widespread public scrutiny over years of complaints about broken fire equipment, scaffolding, and the management of the estate’s overhaul — a project that Wong had supported when she served the previous OC.

Her renewed stance marks a dramatic shift in political posture. While critics have questioned her responsibility in backing the original renovation plan, Wong is now directing blame squarely at the current OC, which took office in September last year.

In her statement, Wong said she was heartbroken by the disaster and stressed that the blaze “was not a natural disaster, but a man-made calamity,” calling it the cumulative result of neglect over many years.

She argued that victims had “paid with their lives to sound the alarm for the whole of Hong Kong,” and vowed she would “never allow their sacrifice to be in vain.”

Wong said she had “carefully considered” her position and would take two actions: filing a police report seeking an investigation into alleged misconduct or concealment of safety risks by the current OC; and filing a complaint with the ICAC to examine whether corruption or dereliction contributed to years of unresolved fire-safety failures.

Although she has faced repeated accusations of being a key promoter of the renovation scheme, Wong reiterated that she has had no role in the estate’s decision-making since the OC changed leadership last September. She maintained that her complaint was aimed at “clarifying legal responsibility” behind what she described as a preventable human tragedy.

Her presence at a mourning site earlier this week further intensified media focus. Asked whether she would assume responsibility as a figure associated with the renovation plan, Wong did not respond. People accompanying her blocked reporters’ microphones, with one telling a journalist to “move aside,” as Wong appeared emotional and left with several aides.

The DAB later issued a “solemn statement,” denouncing what it called online “smears and unfounded rumors” against the party. It said that if any DAB member — “including Peggy Wong” — were found to have committed illegal acts after full investigation, the party “would not tolerate it” and would support enforcement actions. The party urged the public not to speculate before the release of official findings.

Wong had served as adviser to the OC that approved the large-scale HK$330 million renovation, which required nearly 2,000 households across eight blocks to pay HK$160,000 to HK$180,000 in installments — a move that sparked fierce opposition among owners.

Renovation work began in July last year, but tension escalated when some residents invoked the Building Management Ordinance to convene a special meeting, eventually unseating the OC, which had been in office for more than a decade. Wong’s advisory role ended immediately when the new OC assumed office in September.

The new OC promised to reexamine contract terms and work closely with residents on oversight.

As families mourn the victims and authorities continue investigations, the political and governance ramifications of the fire are widening.

Wong’s decision to initiate formal complaints — despite lingering questions over her own past involvement — signals an escalating battle over accountability in one of Hong Kong’s most complex housing controversies in recent years.