A member of the Chinese Temples Committee (CTC) and a director of a construction company were today (Monday) charged by the ICAC for allegedly offering $950,000 in bribes in relation to maintenance works at temples and cemeteries.

Wu Wing-kai, 64, member of CTC, and Alan Lau Tung-chee, 43, director of Wai Shing Construction Company Limited (Wai Shing), will appear in Eastern Magistracy at 9:30 am tomorrow (Tuesday) on one count of offering advantages to an agent, contrary to Sectio n 9(2)(b) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.

Wai Shing was a contractor for maintenance works of both CTC and the Board of Management of the Chinese Permanent Cemeteries (BMCPC).

The charge alleges that between September 4, 2000 and March 31, 2002, Wu and Lau had offered $950,000 in total to an agent William Tam Nai-yim, employed as the Executive Secretary of the Trust Funds, Temples and Cemeteries Section under the Home Affairs B ureau by eight charitable bodies.

The charitable bodies are CTC, BMCPC, Brewin Trust Fund Committee, Grantham Scholarships Fund Committee, Li Po Chun Charitable Trust Fund Committee, Sir Robert Black Trust Fund Committee, Board of Trustees of the Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fund, and Lord W ilson United World Colleges Scholarship Fund Council (collectively referred to as employer).

The alleged bribes were said to be rewards for Tam showing or having shown favour to Wu, Lau, Wai Shing, Chang Qing Yuen Artwork Manufactory and Cheng Jiu (Guangzhou) Building Material Company in relation to his employer's business.

Wu and Lau were arrested by the ICAC during a corruption inquiry in May last year.

The defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearances tomorrow.