Strengthening risk oversight in major maintenance projects in the wake of the deadly Tai Po fire is a top priority for Hong Kong lawmaker Julia Lau Man-kwan, who represents the architectural, surveying, planning and landscape sector.
In an interview with the Post, Lau, who is also president of the Hong Kong Institute of Architects, pledged to ensure proper use of public funds in government works amid a deficit, and to remove development barriers to boost tourism in rural areas under the Northern Metropolis megaproject.
With a voter turnout rate of 54 per cent in the constituency, Lau’s victory ended the 13-year domination of surveyors at the seat. She clinched 2,157 votes and won the neck-and-neck race over her opponent in the surveying field, Francis Lam Ka-fai, by 117 votes.
It was not an easy win for Lau, as the surveying industry takes up 60 per cent of the more than 8,200 registered voters in the constituency – almost double the number of those in the architectural field.
Unlike her predecessor, Tony Tse Wai-chuen, Lau said she did not join “G19”, a coalition of lawmakers without any political party affiliation led by Tse, as she did not wish to vote en bloc when her term started on January 1.
Lau pledged to maintain close contact with the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors for future works in the Legislative Council, including follow-up work on the blaze at Wang Fuk Court that claimed 161 lives and left nearly 5,000 people homeless.
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