The independent committee investigating the Tai Po fire will be headed by Judge David Lok Kai-hong who will submit a comprehensive report on the tragedy within nine months, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced on Friday.

Lee told a press conference that other members of the committee will include Executive Council member Chan Kin-por, who has extensive experience in the banking and insurance sectors, and Rex Auyeung Pak-kuen, the outgoing chairman of the MTR Corporation.

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The terms of reference for the committee include examining the causes and circumstances of the fire, the provision of fire-fighting equipment in the buildings, and supervision and accountability issues, as well as assessing whether the construction safety and supervision system for building maintenance was adequate, and evaluating the effectiveness of the verification and testing systems.

The committee will also scrutinize the buildings’ major maintenance projects to find whether there was any inappropriate interest, role conflicts, collusion, and so forth, as well as examine whether the projects involved bid-rigging and violations of tendering regulations.

The strength of current legal regulations and penalties should be reviewed, and recommendations concerning related matters should be proposed, Lee said.

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To facilitate the investigation, the committee can apply to the Chief Executive to be established as a commission of inquiry under Cap 86 of the Commissions of Inquiry Ordinance, thereby exercise statutory rights to obtain relevant information and facts.

Lee noted that this approach combines flexibility and efficiency, and no one should shirk their responsibilities concerning this fatal incident.

The reports and recommendations issued by the committee will be fully disclosed to the public, except for matters pertaining to judicial proceedings and data. The committee will establish a dedicated secretariat and legal team to support its operations.  

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As for accommodation support for victims of the fire, Lee said that he has appointed Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong Wai-lun — who chairs a Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government task force for Wang Fuk Court residents’ emergency accommodation arrangements — to coordinate with relevant policy bureaus and departments to research and propose long-term solutions, and efficiently utilize resources to assist affected families in rebuilding their homes.

Wong will comprehensively gather the opinions of affected victims and formulate subsequent plans, offering options for residents, Lee added.

Speaking to reporters, Lok, who is the chairman of the Electoral Affairs Commission, thanked the chief executive for the appointment and noted that he, as a judge, will uphold fairness in the committee and make decisions based on facts.

In light of his role as the chairman of this independent committee, Lok said that he would reduce his interactions with the media and might resign his position in the Electoral Affairs Commission if needed.

The blaze, which broke out at Wang Fuk Court on Nov 26, had killed at least 160 people as of Friday. Six people are still missing.

On Dec 2, Lee announced plans to establish an independent committee to conduct a comprehensive review to reform the building work system and prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future.

Fu Yinglin also contributed to this story

Contact the writer at atlasshao@chinadailyhk.com