Lawmaker William Wong failed to tell Legco about arrest, set for committee probe

Hong Kong lawmaker William Wong Kam-fai failed to report his arrest for alleged drink-driving to the Legislative Council as required under its code of conduct and is expected to face an internal investigation that could result in stiff penalties, the South China Morning Post has learned.

The 66-year-old lawmaker, who is also an associate dean of engineering at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, was arrested on Monday night after crashing his car into two parked vehicles on campus.

He is suspected of drink-driving, careless driving and failing to stop and report after a traffic accident.

Sources said on Thursday that Wong did not inform the legislature or explain the matter to fellow lawmakers before it became public on Wednesday, constituting a breach of the members’ code regarding the “timely reporting of legal proceedings”.

Under the code, lawmakers found guilty of misconduct may face penalties ranging from written warnings to suspension and pay deductions, following an investigation by Legco’s Supervisory Committee.

While the committee typically launches an investigation after receiving complaints, several lawmakers familiar with its operations said they expected it to examine Wong’s case.