Abraham Shek
Abraham Shek Lai-him | |
|---|---|
| Born | Razack Ebrahim Abdul June 24, 1945 |
| Occupation(s) | Businessman, politician |
| Known for | Former legislator of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong |
Abraham Shek Lai-him GBS JP, also known as Abraham Razack (; originally named Razack Ebrahim Abdul; born 24 June 1945), is a former legislator of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong (Legco). He represented the real estate and construction sector through a functional constituency seat. In Legco, he is associated with the Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong. Shek earned his degree from the University of Sydney in Australia.
Shek has a background in business and was previously the chief executive of the Land Development Corporation, which has since been restructured as the Urban Renewal Authority. He holds directorships at several leading companies, including China Resources Cement Holdings Ltd.
Political stance
Known for his longstanding pro-Beijing alignment, Shek took many by surprise in October 2019 when he advocated for an independent investigation into police actions amid extensive pro-democracy demonstrations. He also criticized the government's inadequate response to public grievances, particularly those voiced by younger generations.
In March 2021, Shek responded to remarks made by FTU president Stanley Ng concerning "property hegemony" and its benefits to developers amidst soaring housing costs. Shek defended the property developers and dismissed such accusations as reminiscent of "Cultural Revolution-style" rhetoric, suggesting that these criticisms would not effectively address housing challenges.
By April 2021, Shek publicly opposed a proposed vacancy tax aimed at unsold new residential units remaining unoccupied for over a year. He argued against imposing penalties on developers for leaving properties vacant.
Positions held
Chairman, Public Accounts Committee, Legislative Council of HKSAR since October 2012
Chairman, English Schools Foundation since May 2015
Honorary Fellow at The Education University of Hong Kong, The University of Hong Kong, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and Lingnan University (Hong Kong)