A dispute between the two leading contenders for chief executive over illegal structures on village houses has escalated.
Yesterday Leung Chun-ying hit back at his rival Henry Tang Ying-yen, who had referred to unauthorised structures on the small houses of male indigenous villagers as 'so-called illegal structures'. Tang's comment marked an apparent departure from the government's line and was seen by pan-democrats as an attempt to win support from the powerful Heung Yee Kuk rural body.
The way the next government addresses the problem is considered a parameter of how the kuk, which holds 28 votes on the 1,200-seat Election Committee, may decide to vote.
The executive committee of the kuk will meet today to discuss its choice of candidate.
One of the executive committee members, Alfred Lam Kwok-cheong, said there was no need for the kuk to state its preferred candidate yet.
'Let's leave the matter at least until after the Lunar New Year,' he said, adding that the kuk planned to invite Tang and Leung to a forum to elaborate on their governing vision and stance on the New Territories.