The controversy surrounding Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs Betty Fung Ching Suk-yee’s alleged conflict of interest regarding property trading has deepened as more details about her husband’s role are revealed.
Apple Daily reported on Friday that Betty Fung’s husband, Wilson Fung Wing-yip, had once represented Wiseson Limited when signing purchase documents in February, 2013.
Betty Fung engaged in a property exchange deal with Wiseson Limited, a company owned by Cheyenne Chan, relative of casino tycoon Stanley Ho Hung-sun in 2013.
According to an investigation conducted by HK01, the properties exchanged had a price difference of around HK$9.5 million. However, Betty Fung paid HK$6.5 million for the deal.
The senior civil servant released a statement last week stating that the property exchange was conducted through an agent and she never had any contact with the other party, Wiseson Limited. She said that she did not know that Chan had stakes in Wiseson. She added that she had truthfully declared the deal according to the Civil Service Declaration Rules.
Betty Fung avoided reporters’ questions on Friday as she was leaving her residence with luggage, according to Apple Daily.
Apple Daily also reported that Wilson Fung was put on leave by the Airport Authority.
Wilson Fung is currently the executive director of corporate development at the Airport Authority. Until 2006, he was a civil servant in the Economic Development and Labour Bureau and was in charge of aviation affairs.
Chan owns stakes in Sky Shuttle, a helicopter company. Sky Shuttle won a bid, announced the same month of Wilson Fung’s departure, to operate a helicopter service between Sheung Wan and Macau in 2007.
Pro-democracy Civic Party lawmaker Alvin Yeung Ngok-kiu told RTHK that the government should fully investigate the matter. He said that Fung’s version of events may not correlate with the truth.
ICAC is investigating the relevant allegations surrounding Betty Fung.
