Five-member panel probes councillor Sze conviction
HK01 · 5 SOURCES1 day ago5 MIN
Summary
The Home and Youth Affairs Bureau has formally activated the district councillor conduct-monitoring mechanism over Yuen Long District Councillor Sze Chun-hing (施駿興), appointing a five-member monitoring committee to investigate his case after his conviction earlier this month for unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 16. The committee will establish the relevant facts, advise whether they justify sanctions under the District Councils Ordinance, and recommend an appropriate penalty if grounds are found, before submitting a report to Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak Mei-kuen for a ruling.
Key Points
- Alice Mak appointed the committee under the District Councils Ordinance and the district councillor performance monitoring system after an investigation was initiated against Sze.
- The five members are Chan Chun-bing, Lam Chui-ling, Yiu Yat-wah, Lee Ching-ha and Liu Tsz-chung.
- The bureau said the panel includes one non-district councillor and four district councillors from outside Yuen Long, drawn from different sectors with district experience.
- Yuen Long District Council chairman and three Yuen Long district councillors launched the case on September 14 under the ordinance, according to the bureau.
- Sze was convicted on September 14 of unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 16; am730 said he was remanded until October 27 for mitigation and sentencing, while a separate indecent assault charge was dismissed.
Why It Matters
The case will test how Hong Kong's district councillor monitoring regime is used after a criminal conviction, with the secretary expected to make the final disciplinary decision after reviewing the committee's report. The bureau has said it will not comment further while the investigation is under way, citing the need to protect fairness in the process.