Lawmakers call for cancel culture to hit bid-riggers

Lawmakers expressed optimism on Saturday about a newly formed task force that could reform the culture within the building maintenance and renovation industry by identifying and removing the "bad apples." This optimism came after an announcement on Friday that 28 individuals had been apprehended in an operation targeting a syndicate believed to be linked to the triads and involved in bid-rigging practices within the sector.

This operation marked the inaugural effort by a joint task force, comprising police, the ICAC, and the Competition Commission, established in response to an independent committee's report released following a deadly fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po back in November. DAB lawmaker Chan Hok-fung emphasized during a live appearance on RTHK that the focus of this task force should not be confined to addressing bid-rigging cases individually.

"The true solution lies at the root of the problem," he asserted, stressing that government intervention is crucial. Without active involvement and substantial measures to rectify the flawed market dynamics, he argued, the issue remains unresolved. Lam Chun-sing, who presides over the Federation of Hong Kong and Kowloon Labour Unions, advocated for the revocation of the licenses of firms convicted of bribery or engaging in anti-competitive acts.

According to him, the most feared consequence for contractors is not a financial penalty, but rather the loss of the opportunity to secure future contracts.