Hong Kong should replace its justice chief Teresa Cheng, and refine rules on illegal structures

Teresa Cheng Yeuk-wah has been secretary of justice for almost three weeks now, and the unauthorised building works controversy continues. The scandal broke on the first day of her taking office. A total of 10 illegal structures were found at two adjacent houses in Tuen Mun that are owned respectively by Cheng and her husband, Otto Poon Lok-to. This week, more illegal structures were found at another of her properties, in Repulse Bay.

Cheng had earlier refused to address the controversy at the Legislative Council, but on Wednesday she backed down and appeared before lawmakers at their weekly meeting.

Her crisis management is disastrous. She is now a ticking political time bomb for Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor and her administration. Taking the broader situation into consideration, Cheng has no choice but to resign immediately.

Cheng clearly lacks political sensibility and common sense. Similar scandals had dogged other politicians in the past, including the well-known cases involving former chief executive Leung Chun-ying and his election rival Henry Tang Ying-yen. Yet, Cheng failed to examine her own properties before taking office.

The scandal also uncovered the little-known marriage of Cheng and Poon. The couple married in 2016, and Secretary for Transport and Housing Frank Chan Fan served as a witness to the marriage. The disclosure left people wondering about the reason behind the cover-up of Cheng’s marital status, and further fuelled public concern over her credibility.

That is not all. It also came to light that Cheng had bought her Repulse Bay flat last year as a first-time buyer, despite owning companies that bought at least three other properties in Tuen Mun and Sha Tin.