A Hong Kong man who initiated a petition linked to the fatal Tai Po fire has been arrested on suspicion of sedition, according to local media reports, citing unnamed sources.
HKFP has learned that Hong Kong university student Miles Kwan was arrested on Saturday. He initiated a petition urging the government to respond to "four big demands" after the fatal tragedy [...]
Hong Kong police did not confirm the arrest of Kwan in an emailed reply to HKFP, only saying that they "will take actions according to actual circumstances and in accordance with the law."
Kwan - along with two friends [...] distributed flyers for the "Tai Po Wang Fuk Court Fire Concern Group" with a link to the Change.org petition outside Tai Po MTR station on Friday evening.
The Instagram page and the petition link are no longer accessible, according to an HKFP check. [...]
"We see that the regulatory laws that people [who] are building the buildings should be compliant to - we see them not being respected," he said on Friday.
The student called for the government to ensure accommodation for displaced residents; set up an independent investigation committee to look into potential conflicts of interest; review the construction supervision system; and probe regulatory neglect, as well as hold government officials accountable.
Kwan's calls come amid rumours of suspected bid-rigging linked to renovation works at the estate.
According to local media, the project was awarded by the Wang Fuk Court owners' corporation to the construction company that submitted the most expensive bid. A police investigation found the foam boards used were highly flammable.
Police arrested three men linked to the construction company responsible for the renovation work on suspicion of manslaughter on Thursday. They were released on bail on Friday.
On Friday, the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) arrested eight people suspected of corruption, including directors of a construction consultancy firm and scaffolding subcontractors. [...]