Anita Mui’s 100-Year-Old Mum Faces Bankruptcy For 2nd Time Despite S$505K Annual Allowance

Tam Mei Kam, the 100-year-old mother of late Cantopop diva Anita Mui, faces being declared bankrupt for a second time after Hong Kong’s justice minister applied to the high court to have her assets liquidated.

The reason for the bankruptcy filing is yet to be disclosed, with details to be revealed during the December 17 hearing.

Mei Kam was first declared bankrupt in 2012 for owing lawyers HK$2.3mil (S$384.5K) in fees after losing a legal battle over Anita’s estate.

She was automatically discharged from bankruptcy four years later.

Before Anita passed away from cervical cancer in 2003, she made a will and set up a trust where her mum would be paid a monthly allowance of HK$70K (S$11.8K) during her lifetime, after which the remaining assets would be donated to a Buddhist organisation.

Taking inflation into account, the court gradually increased Mei Kam’s monthly allowance to the current HK$250K (S$42K), totalling HK$3mil a year (S$505.4K).

Despite this, Mei Kam repeatedly complained that it was insufficient, and filed lawsuits against the trust, attempting to receiving a lump sum from the estate.

She also made unusual demands to access the estate.

For example, in 2009, she requested HK$800K (S$135K) to go on a world tour, citing boredom with life, and in 2017, demanded a one-time withdrawal of HK$71mil (S$11.96mil) as 15 years’ worth of living expenses.

In 2011, Mei Kam and her son Mui Kai Ming, now 72, sued the trust for mismanaging the estate and sought HK$1.5bil (S$253mil) in compensation.

The lawsuit was dismissed by the court, but Mei Kam ignored the ruling and refused to pay legal fees and, as a result was declared bankrupt 2012.

Mei Kam reportedly stopped contesting the estate in 2022 after cutting ties with Kai Ming due to disputes over Anita’s estate.

She is now cared for by her grandson and a caregiver and lives a reclusive life.