Architect in land row snubs Legco
Ex-district officers also refuse to assist panel in its inquiry
Architect and rural leader Daniel Heung Cheuk-kei, who converted a warehouse on government land into a luxury villa without authorisation, has declined to attend a Legislative Council panel meeting to discuss the incident.
Two former district land officers, who were in relevant positions at the time Mr Heung held the tenancy for the piece of government land in Sha Tin, have also declined to attend the meeting, citing lack of recollection of details of the incident or reluctance to be embroiled in political issues.
Another two former district land officers are willing to attend, but have also said they cannot remember any relevant details.
In a letter to the Legco planning, lands and works panel last week, Mr Heung said he had already made his position clear in previous public announcements.
'As such, it seems it would be unnecessary for me to provide you with any further information or to attend any meeting of the panel,' said Mr Heung, a cousin of Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen.
One of the two former civil servants who declined to attend the meeting - Bernard Chan Kwok-fai, a former Sha Tin district land officer from 1992 to 1995 - attributed his decision to lack of recollection.
'Since I would have little contribution to the case and considering my other commitments, I am not interested in attending Legco,' Mr Chan said.
K.L. Leung - who served as a Sha Tin district land officer from 1995 to 1999, and from 2002 to 2003 - also refused to attend.
'Having been completely retired for some years and being no longer a civil servant, I do not want any political issue to disturb my peaceful retirement,' he said.
