The seventh day of the Wang Fuk Court public hearing on Wednesday revealed that over 200 authorization letters were submitted to the meeting of the owners' corporation, with no verification of signatures.
Lok Sin-ying, a clerk at ISS EastPoint Properties Limited, testified that it is common to vote by authorized letters for the major renovations at Wang Fuk Court, which often involve over a hundred authorized letters.
She cited that at a September 6 meeting to elect the owners’ corporation, over 200 authorization letters were submitted.
She further stated that the number of authorization letters significantly influenced the outcome, and she recalled that it exceeded half.
When asked if she did spot checks for the authorized letters, she said she didn’t do the checks during her term, and that the letters would only be checked whereas the signatures would not unless floor or owner information was missing.
“Even a cross was counted as a signature,” she said.
She pointed out that she would issue a receipt to the resident who signed the authorization letter before the meeting to verify the owner's identity.
Lok recalled incidents where residents suspected forged documents. She said she advised them to check with family members and consider reporting it to the police, but she was unaware if they had made any reports.
When asked how to improve the system, Lok suggested maintaining a standard document with owners’ signature samples for verification and updating ownership records, as many elderly people hadn't updated their ownership information, making it impossible for their children to vote on their parents' behalf after they have left home.
Lok said that she had seen authorization forms with incomplete information. In such cases, she would call the flat owner to request additional signatures or collect signatures at the resident's door, requiring verification of their identity card.
However, some other residents, unaware of the situation, claimed that "Ms Lok from the management office came to collect authorization forms and tricked elderly women into signing them”. Lok believed this situation was also common in other estates.
Lok said that authorization letters must be submitted within 48 hours before the meeting, requiring verification and follow-up within the same period, handled by the property management company.
She added that multiple authorization votes often authorize the same person, with the chairman and vice-chairman typically receiving the most votes, and committee members also receiving a relatively large number.
