Chan Hok-fung urges e-voting in building law overhaul
SingTao · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago4 MIN
Summary
Public consultation on the government’s proposed amendments to the Building Management Ordinance will end on September 11. Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong lawmaker Chan Hok-fung (陳學鋒) said the party supports the overall direction of the bill, but argued that implementation details still need refinement, especially on voting arrangements, proxy controls and major repair works.
Key Points
- The proposed amendments include raising attendance and voting thresholds for major repair projects through a three-tier system linked to the amount each flat owner must bear.
- For the highest tier, where each owner’s share is HK$120,000 or more, the quorum would be 20%, with an in-person voting threshold of 10% or 200 owners.
- Speaking on a radio programme on September 10, Chan said two main concerns are a shortage of suitable meeting venues and higher management costs from extra staffing.
- The DAB proposed an electronic voting system and suggested exploring iAM Smart for identity verification, registration and authorisation, though Chan said technical and access issues remain.
- On proxy forms, the party suggested targeted random checks of about 1% to 2% in large buildings undergoing major repairs, and also proposed a third-party “repair agency” service.
Why It Matters
The debate now centres less on whether to tighten oversight and more on how owners’ corporations and property managers can comply without making routine governance harder or more expensive. If the final bill does not resolve those operational concerns, disputes over major repairs, proxy voting and meeting legitimacy could continue even after the law is amended.