Anti-corruption officials in Hong Kong probe flaws controversy at residential development site amid allegations that overseers received kickbacks.
The structural integrity of major housing projects is paramount to public safety and confidence in construction standards. Revelations of defects are thankfully rare in Hong Kong. When they arise they warrant full public scrutiny and accountability.
An example of this is a bribery scandal involving a residential development by CK Asset Holdings in Kwun Tong, which was exposed by the city’s anti-corruption agency.
The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) claims that site supervisors received offerings such as red envelopes and invitations for dining and leisure activities from a subcontractor who was looking for relaxed supervision over inadequate building techniques, aiming to boost their profitability.
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Suspected offences range from bribery and accepting bribes, to conspiracy to defraud and using false documents. The scale of the alleged graft seems shocking, as does an apparent lack of oversight.
Investigations revealed that steel reinforcement bars in concrete in all six buildings were either thinner than required, missing, displaced or loosely arranged.
The Building Department inspectors discovered that the quantity of primary reinforcing bars in the structural elements was typically 10 percent less than specified requirements, with variations observed in their spacing, thickness, and placement.
But department officials said the overall structural integrity of the six buildings containing nearly 3,000 flats, including 1,000 starter homes, did not present an immediate danger, as the surrounding concrete wall design could compensate for the load-bearing requirements.
This situation merits gratitude, yet it shouldn’t lead to downplaying the seriousness of these events. According to independent engineers, the most recent controversy arose due to a shared and intentional disregard of issues at the Kowloon location.
Previous examples that posed unacceptable risks may be isolated, but they sound a warning that resonates today.
In 2002 two construction company directors and a site engineer were jailed for their part in a short-pilings scam that led to the demolition of two 31-storey housing blocks in a Sha Tin development.
Recently, developers demolished and reconstructed two out of seven towers in a residential complex in Tai Wai, where the concrete walls of the podium failed to comply with design specifications.
Yesterday, the government announced that it would penalize Aggressive Construction Engineering, which had been working on a CK Asset Kwun Tong project but was removed due to several workplace incidents.
It will be taken off the list of approved general building contractors due to its subpar safety performance.
CK Asset expressed deep concern over the bribery accusations against other contractors involved in the project and reaffirmed its backing of the Independent Commission Against Corruption’s efforts.
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