Legco panel on illegal structures shelved due to lack of quorum

A legislators’ panel meeting to discuss illegal structures at Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying’s home had to be cancelled on Monday when too few members showed up.

Only nine legislators had appeared when the Legislative Council’s development panel meeting was due to start at 8.30am – less than a quorum.

A meeting must be cancelled if attendance falls below one-third of a panel’s membership, and the development panel has 32 members. Vice-chairman Tony Tse Wai-chuen announced the cancellation after a 15-minute waiting period.

The absentees included panel chairman Lau Wong-fat, who called in sick. Michael Tien Puk-sun, from the New People’s Party, was late, saying he did not receive the reminder from Legco because his mobile phone wasn’t working.

His colleague, Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, was also late, saying she had been slowed down by medication she was taking for a sore throat.

Monday’s meeting was supposed to discuss illegal structures found earlier this year at the chief executive’s houses on The Peak.

It was scheduled to be briefed by Secretary for Development Paul Chan Mo-po and Director of Buildings Au Choi-kai, about the progress of enforcement actions in the illegal structures case.

People Power’s Albert Chan Wai-yip, who arrived on time for the meeting, accused the pro-establishment camp of staying away from a meeting that might bring further embarrassment for Leung.

“Their aim was probably to avoid embarrassment or [revealing] demeaning material for Leung before his duty visit to Beijing,” Chan said. Leung’s duty visit to Beijing is set to begin on Thursday.