District councillor Peggy Wong denies incentives in collecting proxy votes for Wang Fuk Court meetings

District councillor Peggy Wong Pik-kiu has denied offering incentives or receiving benefits when collecting proxy votes from residents, as questions over her role surfaced at a hearing into the Wang Fuk Court fire.

At the 14th session of the independent hearing on Friday, senior counsel Victor Dawes, representing the committee, cited part of a written statement from Tai Po South district councillor Wong.

Wong, who previously served as a district councillor for the Wang Fuk constituency and as an adviser to the estate’s owners’ corporation, said she had twice collected proxy votes at estate meetings based on long-standing trust with residents.

According to her written submission, one instance took place on September 6, 2024, when she contacted around 20 households. She said some residents did not support the removal of the then management committee and therefore provided proxy votes.

Wong stressed that she had not offered any materials in exchange for the authorization and had not received any personal benefit.

Her role in estate affairs has drawn scrutiny in the wake of the fire, with questions raised over the involvement of public office holders in internal voting matters.

During the hearing, Tony Tsui Moon-come, chairman of the management committee at the time of the fire, said he could not confirm whether Wong had received any benefits, but maintained that district councillors should not interfere in residents’ voting decisions.

On whether Wong had collected proxy votes from elderly residents, Dawes asked Tsui if he had heard such claims. Tsui confirmed he had, saying a resident had approached Wong at a street booth and later relayed what was said. According to Tsui, the resident claimed that while Wong was helping with residents' handling of subsidy application forms, the district councillor had advised them not to overturn the owners’ corporation.