Hong Kong’s graft-buster to investigate Carrie Lam over museum deal, lawmaker says
But ICAC unable to confirm probe into leadership candidate’s role in approving project
Hong Kong’s anti-graft agency has launched an investigation into chief executive candidate Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor’s role in a deal to build a version of Beijing’s Palace Museum in the city, according to lawmaker Claudia Mo Man-ching.
During a Legislative Council debate on Hong Kong’s tourism policy on Wednesday, some lawmakers said the Palace Museum would become a major tourist attraction once completed in 2022.
When it was Mo’s turn to speak, she revealed that the Independent Commission Against Corruption had told her recently it has “opened a file” on her complaint involving Lam in January.
“Several colleagues mentioned that West Kowloon’s Palace Museum could become Hong Kong’s new tourist attraction, but I doubt it because questions were raised regarding the decision to build it,” she said.
“In early January, I reported to the ICAC over Carrie Lam’s handling of the Palace Museum deal, as I thought there could be an inappropriate transfer of benefits involved. It could constitute misconduct in public office. The ICAC replied and said it would open a file and [investigate] it,” she said.
But the ICAC responded by saying that “according to its policy, it, in general, will not comment on individual incidents”.