A sister-in-law and nephew of security chief Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee are taking on the rest of the family in an attempt to wind up a loss-making family business.
Cecilia Chan Kit-lai and son Arnold Ip Tin-chee have lodged a petition for a buy-out order, or alternatively a winding-up order, for Ching Hing Construction.
The petitioners allege they have been subject to 'unfair prejudice' as Ching Hing shareholders because Arnold Ip has not been elected to the board of directors since October 1996.
The Secretary for Security is one of 10 named respondents to the petition in the Court of First Instance.
No allegation of wrongdoing is being made against Mrs Ip, who has indicated she will not attend the hearing, according to Robert Kotewall, SC, counsel for the petitioners. She is named as a party to the proceedings as executor of the estate of her late husband, Sammy Ip Man-ho, who died in November 1997.
Ching Hing, a prosperous construction company until the early 1980s, was founded by Ip Ching-ping and wife Wong Miu-shim in September 1954. The founders died in April 1983 and May 1981 respectively.