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 From Hong Kong's Information Services Department
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November 18, 2003
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Crime
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Surveyor charged for misconduct and bribery
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ICAC

A Housing Department Maintenance Surveyor has been charged for alleged misconduct in public office and bribery in awarding maintenance contracts.

 

Irene Wong, 45, will appear at Kowloon City Magistracy tomorrow to face nine counts of misconduct in public office, and two for accepting an advantage.

 

Eight of the misconduct charges allege Wong wilfully and intentionally culpably misconducted herself in the award of Government contracts for maintenance projects for housing estates and shopping centres.

 

She allegedly failed to declare a conflict of interest arising from her relationship with the operator, directors and shareholders of the companies awarded the contracts. They were Harbour Grow Holdings, HK Building Products, and Wo Loong Engineering & Construction. She allegedly showed improper partiality towards these companies.

 

The remaining misconduct charge alleges Wong arranged for Fong Wing Shing Construction Company to submit a quotation for another maintenance contract on behalf of HK Building Products, knowing that the latter was not eligible to do so and was not qualified to be awarded the contract.

 

She was said to have recommended acceptance of the said quotation submitted by Fong Wing Shing and awarded the contract to the company.

 

Wong also faces two bribery charges alleging she accepted $198,800 as reward for using her position and influence to assist Harbour Grow, Wo Loong and HK Building Products to obtain maintenance contracts.

 

ICAC investigators say Chung was in control of all these companies, some of which she and her relatives are said to have interests in.

 

The alleged offences took place between 1996 and 1999.

 

Wong has been released on ICAC bail, pending her court appearance tomorrow.