A former vice-chairman of the Independent Police Complaints Council attended only one of its 17 meetings during his three-year term. Another attended only six, and a current vice-chairman missed half its meetings over the last two years. All three were lawmakers at the time. A human rights campaigner expressed shock at their attendance. Council staff refused a South China Morning Post request to reveal members' attendance rates, but a check of its annual reports and the minutes of its meetings between 2006 and 2008 showed vice-chairman Daniel Lam Wai-keung attended only one, in February 2007, and did not speak at the meeting. Asked about his poor attendance record, Mr Lam denied he had neglected his duties. He said he had fulfilled them by reading complaint files instead of attending the council's meetings. He said there was no requirement that members attend meetings. 'I was also busy with Legco matters at that time,' he said. Mr Lam represented the Heung Yee Kuk functional constituency on the Legislative Council between 2004 and 2008. He is a vice-chairman of the kuk, which represents the traditional interests of New Territories communities, and at the time was also chairman of the Islands District Council. Lui Ming-wah, another former IPCC vice-chairman, missed 11 of its 17 meetings during his three-year term. He missed all its meetings in 2006. He was also a lawmaker between 2004 and 2008, representing one of the industrial functional constituencies. Mr Lui could not be reached for comment last night. Current vice-chairman Joseph Lee Kok-long missed two of the council's six meetings in 2007 and four of its six meetings last year. He has been a lawmaker since 2004, and represents the medical services functional constituency. Mr Lee said: 'A lot of IPCC meetings last year clashed with Legco meetings. I'll try to improve my attendance.' The director of Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor, Law Yuk-kai, was shocked at the low attendance by the vice-chairmen. 'Mr Lam harmed the credibility of the IPCC. How can the public have faith in the ability of the watchdog to monitor the police if one of its vice-chairmen only attended one meeting in three years?' Mr Law said. He suggested the government consider making the appointments to bodies - especially the IPCC - that monitor human rights full time. He said the IPCC was well known for its demanding workload, given it handled large numbers of complaints against the police. 'The government should stop appointing people who already serve on a lot of other statutory and advisory bodies, unless its intention is to stop statutory bodies operating efficiently,' Mr Law said. The IPCC vice-chairmen were not the only ones with poor attendance rates. Only three of the council's 18 members attended all six meetings. Barry Cheung Chun-yuen was the worst attender last year, missing five of its six meetings. Mr Cheung fulfils several other public service functions, including chairman of the Urban Renewal Authority. Another member, Priscilla Wong Pui-sze, attended only two of the meetings. Mr Cheung could not be reached for comment last night. James To Kun-sun, vice-chairman of Legco's security panel, called the attendance of IPCC vice-chairmen and members terrible. Report card Attendance rates at Independent Police Complaints Council meetings of current and former vice-chairmen between 2006 and 2008 Daniel Lam Wai-keung: 1 in 17 Lui Ming-wah: 6 in 17 Joseph Lee Kok-long*: 6 in 12 * Did not serve in 2006 Worst attendance by ordinary members at last year's IPCC meetings Barry Cheung Chun-yuen: 1 in 6 Priscilla Wong Pui-sze: 2 in 6 SOURCE: IPCC ANNUAL REPORT AND MINUTES
