Lawmaker Judy Chan Kapui reprimanded with written warning over wrong-way driving case

The Legislative Council Supervisory Committee has issued a written warning to lawmaker Judy Chan Kapui over her involvement in a wrong-way driving incident earlier this year, concluding that the misconduct did not reach a serious level.

In a report on the January incident, the committee said that, taking into account that it was Chan’s first instance of such misconduct, it decided to impose a written warning, “sternly warning her that she must be mindful of her words and deeds at all times and ensure that she lives up to the public’s expectations of LegCo Members.”

The committee noted that the court’s ruling reflected a relatively low level of severity, with a proportionately light sentence. It said the case did not result in any death, injury, damage to facilities, or loss of property, and was relatively minor compared with other careless driving cases.

“Taking into account all relevant factors, the Committee has unanimously concluded that Ms Chan’s misconduct did not reach a serious level,” the report said.

However, it acknowledged that the incident had attracted widespread public concern and had a negative impact on the reputation of the legislature and its members.

The committee said it accepted that Chan had shown remorse and taken a series of remedial actions after the incident, including issuing multiple public apologies and proactively contacting the police to assist with the investigation.

It added that Chan had not evaded responsibility and was willing to bear the consequences, noting that her actions were aimed at minimizing the negative impact on the council’s reputation.

In her explanation to the committee, the report noted, Chan said she was “deeply sorry about the unnecessary furore over the wrong-way driving incident, which was caused by her rashness.”

She said she had subconsciously believed the situation was safe at the time, but acknowledged the decision was careless and made for convenience.

Chan added that she had been driving for more than 20 years since the age of 18, and that this was her first such offense, apart from previous fixed penalty tickets. She said she has not driven since the incident, relying mainly on public transport and hiring a driver.

She also expressed regret that the incident had caused an unnecessary negative impact on the image of the legislature, adding that she would accept whatever decision the committee reached.

Chan was earlier convicted of careless driving over the incident in Wan Chai, fined HK$2,000 and disqualified from driving for one month. Speaking to reporters before attending a Legislative Council meeting on Wednesday, she again apologized to the public.
 

 

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