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Jennifer Lo

Clifford Lo

Sha Tin Rural Committee chairman Mok Kam-kwai  was arrested, along with nine others, by graft-busters on suspicion of corruption related to village housing.
Mok, a recipient of the Bronze Bauhinia Star  in 2009  for 'meritorious public and community service', confirmed his arrest, saying yesterday that he had been released on bail.
He spoke  before attending a Heung Yee Kuk  meeting in Sha Tin. Mok said he had no idea why he had been arrested.
'Don't give me a hard time,' was all that he would say when  pressed for further information.
The arrests were made last week. Officers from the Independent Commission Against Corruption  questioned  about 20 people in connection with the case. They included elected village representatives, property agents and buyers, according to a person familiar with the case.
The person said bribery was alleged in the building of village small houses in the New Territories.
'More than 10 people were arrested. Others were allowed to leave after answering the inquiries,' the person said. Those arrested were granted bail and no one was charged. The investigation will continue.
The ICAC spokeswoman refused to comment on the case yesterday.
It is understood  the investigation is  centred on the Sha Tin district and that Mok is one of the key people being investigated by the ICAC. Mok, the head of a Sha Tin village, is also a Sha Tin district councillor.
Mok was in the business of developing village small houses 10 years ago. But last night he said that was no longer the case.
'I am no longer involved in the redevelopment of village small houses. I am now focusing on public and community service,' Mok said.
He said it was not appropriate for him to comment on the ICAC case.
Heung Yee Kuk chairman Lau Wong-fat  and vice-chairman Cheung Hok-ming  said they did not know the details of the case and the ICAC had not contacted the kuk.
'The kuk has complied with the law and followed government policies,' Lau said after the meeting. 
Cheung said he did not think there was a grey area in the policy on building village small houses. 
'It has been clearly written,' he said.
Every indigenous male New Territories villager has the right to claim village land and build a house when he turns 18. Under the policy, an elected village representative has to vet claimants for small-house building permits.
The village head has to verify that the claimant is a genuine indigenous villager.



Village chief among 10 held in bribery probe