Birthday blues for Kwok family matriarch after graft trial overshadows 85th

It is the most anticipated date on the calendar for the inner circle at Sun Hung Kai Properties. But executives of the property giant - and a sprinkling of corporate heavyweights and industry watchers - are still guessing when the 85th birthday of the Kwok family's matriarch, Kwong Siu-hing, will be celebrated.

"Every year, we were informed of the date of the party in November and the party would usually be held this month," an SHKP executive said on condition of anonymity. "But so far we have not heard any news."

Another executive added: "It is rumoured that the banquet may be held early next month, closer to her birthday. But by that time, will her three sons come together to greet her - like they did last year?"

It is understood that Kwong's birthday is in early January, but the timing of the big bash this year is a little tricky - not only because of the usual crush of Christmas corporate events.

Casting a shadow on the annual do is the biggest corruption case in Hong Kong's history. Kwong's second son, SHKP co-chairman Thomas Kwok Ping-kwong, was convicted on Friday for his part in the scandal involving former chief secretary Rafael Hui Si-yan, the highest-ranking former Hong Kong official ever to be found guilty of corruption. Thomas Kwok was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office. Kwong's third son, Raymond Kwok Ping-luen, was acquitted.

Kwong's eldest son, Walter Kwok Ping-sheung, had earlier come under an Independent Commission Against Corruption investigation for more than a year, but was deemed not to have been involved in the sorry saga.