Clarify crime thresholds and immunity in bid-rigging law: Hong Kong Bar Association

The Hong Kong Bar Association has called on the government to clearly define criminal thresholds and resolve whistle-blower immunity rules under its plan to outlaw bid-rigging following the deadly Tai Po inferno.

A task force formed by the association, which represents the city’s barristers, spent 10 months reviewing four key areas of law and published a 140-page report on Sunday in the hope of providing direction to address the shortcomings that led to the deadly Wang Fuk Court blaze last November.

While its suggestion to criminalise bid-rigging, which was put forward in May, was adopted by the government as part of a basket of reforms unveiled last week, the association stressed the elements of the crime, including the definition of bid-rigging, the burden of proof and mens rea, must be clearly defined.