Hong Kong hearth raises suspicions of corruption and lax security

[ad_1] HONG KONG (AP) — Uncomfortable questions are being raised over who's guilty for Hong Kong’s deadliest blaze in decades .

Because the territory mourns over the high-rise residence hearth that killed no less than 156 folks, anger and frustration are mounting over constructing security lapses, suspected development corruption and lax authorities oversight.

However larger points are at play. Some political analysts and observers say the tragedy could possibly be the “tip of an iceberg” in Hong Kong, a metropolis whose skyline is constructed on high-rise buildings. Suspicions of bid-rigging and use of hazardous development supplies in renovation initiatives throughout different housing estates have left many apprehensive the catastrophe could possibly be repeated.

Police and the town’s anti-corruption physique have arrested 15 folks thus far within the investigation of the renovation mission on the Wang Fuk Courtroom residence complicated, the place the fireplace broke out on Wednesday. These detained embrace scaffolding subcontractors , administrators of a development firm and a consultancy.

Officers deal with security of supplies “The query (one) needs to be asking, actually is that, what occurred at Wang Fuk Courtroom, can it occur elsewhere?” mentioned Steve Tsang, director of the SOAS China Institute in London.

Hong Kong officers initially mentioned exams of inexperienced netting overlaying bamboo scaffolding on the housing complicated in suburban Tai Po confirmed that it met hearth security codes, however highly flammable foam panels used to seal home windows through the repairs, aided by sturdy winds, prompted the blaze to unfold swiftly between seven of the eight towers within the complicated.

However on Monday, Eric Chan, Hong Kong’s chief secretary, mentioned that seven of 20 further samples collected later from the positioning failed to satisfy security requirements. Authorities mentioned there was proof contractors reduce prices through the use of cheaper substandard netting together with customary supplies to pad their income, after a hurricane in July broken among the netting initially put in.

Some hearth alarms didn't sound when the fireplace began, residents and officers mentioned.

“It did open a Pandora’s field,” mentioned John Burns, an honorary professor of politics and public administration on the College of Hong Kong.

“You’ve received all of those points which have been swept below the desk,” Burns mentioned. “Due to all that we now know -- or consider we all know -- about bid-rigging, collusion, corruption, no hearth alarms, authorities negligence, all of this stuff have come out.”

As a precaution, authorities suspended work on renovations at 28 other projects managed by the same construction company . With residents of high-rises apprehensive, contractors have been eradicating foam boards and netting used to cowl scaffolding at different initiatives.

The netting “isn't a one specific property drawback. It’s a a lot wider basic drawback,” mentioned Tsang of SOAS.

Residents raised considerations earlier than the fireplace Authorities oversight additionally has been questioned. Residents of Wang Fuk Courtroom had been voicing security considerations to the authorities about development supplies reminiscent of netting used within the renovations, in line with documents reviewed by The Associated Press .

The Labor Division mentioned it reviewed netting’s product high quality certificates and located it “in line” with requirements. It additionally mentioned it had performed 16 inspections on the complicated since final yr — most just lately a couple of week earlier than the fireplace — and had warned contractors repeatedly they'd to make sure they met hearth security necessities.

As critics elevate questions on authorities accountability, Hong Kong officers are emphasizing actions they've taken in opposition to the contractors, and assist supplied to the victims.

“The main target of the folks’s anger is on not a lot the sorts of supplies used (however the) lack of supervision and oversight from (authorities) departments,” mentioned Willy Lam, a political analyst and senior fellow at The Jamestown Basis.

Responding to public stress, the territory’s chief government, John Lee, mentioned Tuesday that an impartial committee led by a choose will examine the fireplace. He brushed apart a query from a reporter on if he ought to preserve his job.

“Sure, we'd like a reform. Sure, we've got recognized failures in numerous levels. That's precisely why we should act critically to make sure that all these loopholes are plugged,” he mentioned, including that the “entire constructing renovation system” will even be reformed to stop any additional such disasters.

Ronny Tong, an adviser to Lee, deflected questions on doable lax enforcement. “Some folks have damaged the legislation they usually have been intentionally making an attempt to deceive authorities. This isn't the issue of those that implement the legal guidelines, proper?”

Oversight is seen as missing Critics say bid-rigging and different collusion, inflated prices and a scarcity of transparency are widespread in Hong Kong initiatives. Multilayered subcontracting chains, that are widespread for giant initiatives, elevate the dangers for substandard work and restricted oversight, mentioned Jason Poon, a contractor turned activist who has uncovered issues at different Hong Kong development initiatives.

“That is simply the tip of an iceberg,” Poon mentioned.

Hong Kong, a former British colony that was handed to Chinese language management in 1997, more and more has cracked down on dissent and criticism of the federal government, which is deemed politically delicate.

A sweeping nationwide safety legislation imposed by Beijing in 2020 after a crackdown on huge pro-democracy protests already has successfully eradicated most public dissent. So, Beijing’s nationwide safety arm in Hong Kong and native officers moved rapidly to stifle accusations of presidency negligence over the lethal blaze.

On Saturday, the organizer of a petition calling for officers to take accountability for the fireplace was arrested by national security police , native media together with the net media outlet HK01 reported.

The Workplace for Safeguarding Nationwide Safety in Hong Kong warned that the town’s powerful nationwide safety legislation can be imposed in opposition to “anti-China” forces who use the fireplace to “incite hatred in opposition to authorities.”

The catastrophe might overshadow an election Sunday for Hong Kong’s Legislative Council if offended voters keep away, mentioned Jean-Pierre Cabestan, a domestically primarily based political scientist and a senior analysis fellow at Paris’ Asia Centre assume tank. Turnout for such votes is scrutinized by Beijing as an indicator of approval of the semi-autonomous territory’s “patriots-only” governance system.

“The query for the Hong Kong authorities is: do they care about what the folks assume?” Burns mentioned. “They completely ought to. (And) in the event that they ignore public opinion, I believe, on this situation, this can be a big mistake.”

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