Wang Chau consultants got off easy over confidential leak, Hong Kong lawmakers tell officials
Government blasted for only barring Arup three months from bidding and faces demands to see its written correspondence with firm
Lawmakers accused the government of being too lenient in punishing a consultancy firm that leaked confidential internal data to a private developer after barring it from bidding on government projects for only three months.
During joint housing and development panel meetings at the Legislative Council on Tuesday, lawmakers also criticised officials for their poor attitude and preparation for the hearing. Officials declined to explain the reasons behind the penalty decision, did not present past records of similar offences, and refused to disclose the government’s written correspondence with engineering giant Arup, the firm at the centre of the controversy.
But after repeated requests, officials agreed to release some of the information.
The Civil Engineering and Development Department commissioned Arup in March to carry out an infrastructure design study of Wang Chau, Yuen Long, a public housing project.
Arup was later accused of disclosing confidential data in a separate application to the Town Planning Board on behalf of developer New World Development to build a private residential development in Wing Ning Tsuen, next to the Wang Chau project.
Data relating to Wang Chau’s projected population and job figures – information only privy to government departments for research purposes – was included in New World Development’s proposal to the board last year to rezone a green belt site.
