An independent committee investigating Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades has ruled out seeking statutory powers to compel witnesses to testify, a move that has left some survivors concerned that key figures may avoid scrutiny.
Committee chairman Justice David Lok Kai-hong said the panel would not ask the chief executive to convert it into a statutory commission of inquiry during the ongoing investigation into last year’s Wang Fuk Court blaze, which resumed on Monday after a six-week pause.
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“We cannot expect these witnesses to fully cooperate, even if compelled to attend. They could claim not to remember or give evasive answers,” the High Court judge said.
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“We can assure the public that every decision made by the judge-led committee is based on legal principles and public interest. Political and public relations considerations are not our concern.”