District councillor Peggy Wong resigns amid proxy-vote claims after Tai Po blaze

Hong Kong district councillor Peggy Wong Pik-kiu has resigned from office and several other community roles citing health reasons, following mounting controversy over her team’s alleged proxy-vote collection before last year’s fatal Wang Fuk Court inferno.Wong, a directly elected district councillor for the Tai Po South constituency, also stepped down from her duties as a member of the Tai Po South Area Committee and captain of the Tai Po Kwong Fuk and Plover Cove subdistrict care teams.The Home Affairs Department announced the resignations on Saturday, issuing a statement in which Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak Mei-kuen said she respected Wong’s decision.Wong, who is affiliated with the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, had served on the Tai Po district council for more than 20 years.The resignation came after she skipped nine consecutive council meetings citing health reasons, following a media report last month alleging that Wong’s team collected a proxy vote from a deceased flat owner.The department previously confirmed it had referred the matter to law enforcement agencies for investigation.Wang Fuk Court residents have said Wong collected proxy votes and tried to influence owners’ decisions on the estate’s renovation works before the fire.