Jake's View | What happens when the justice secretary’s very action encourage people to disrespect the law?

The [flat purchase] document was signed by Cheng’s [Justice Secretary Teresa Cheng Yeuk-wah] husband, Otto Poon Lok-to, on her behalf but it specified Cheng as the buyer.

It also showed that Cheng paid HK$2.635 million in stamp duty – she should have had to shell out HK$9.3 million if she had not purchased it as a first-time buyer.

-- SCMP, January 23

But she apparently deemed herself a first-time buyer as the other properties she owns were bought through corporate name.

It’s a common enough dodge. Instead of buying a flat in your own name, you form a company and have the company buy it.

This way, the flat can change hands an infinite number of times in the future and yet never again be bought or sold. It is the company which has bought and sold.