Lau Wong-fat elected as council chief

Veteran New Territories powerbroker Lau Wong-fat won yet another rural power struggle, when he was elected as chairman of Tuen Mun district council yesterday amid noisy protests outside the meeting.

It was a dramatic reversal, as Lau was forced to step down as chairman of the rural committee in Tuen Mun, where he was born, 10 months ago. Yesterday's clear victory - 23 votes to seven - came against challenger To Sheck-yuen, who is backed by the New Territories' rising political star Junius Ho Kwan-yiu.

Law Society chairman Ho described Lau's victory as undemocratic and shameless, and threatened to seek a judicial review.

But Lau, the chairman of rural affairs body the Heung Yee Kuk, shrugged off the challenges, saying 'even sainthood can be opposed by someone [these days]'. Political analysts said the opposition to Lau's return was not likely to pose any immediate threat to the 74-year-old, although his age would force a transition of power at some point.

Lau said he was pleased to return to the district council, adding he would remember those who had supported him. He was forced to step down as chairman of the rural committee in Tuen Mun, after it limited leaders to two terms.

Ho was elected unopposed as chairman of the committee after Lau was barred from seeking re-election to the post he held for 41 years.

The change also meant Lau automatically lost his seat on Tuen Mun District Council, of which he was chairman and an ex-officio member. But the government reinstated him as an appointed member last month.