Hong Kong’s rural residents body Heung Yee Kuk vows to flex its political muscle if voice ignored
Rift between pro-government parties and indigenous allies shows signs of widening with latter looking to become independent electoral force
An emerging rift between the pro-establishment camp and its usually stalwart rural leaders has shown signs of widening, with some defiant members vowing to take an independent line on policy where necessary and demonstrate the political muscle of the city’s indigenous families.
Patriarchs have said their top priority in future will be pursuing the interests of their fellow villagers rather than towing the government line, and have complained their voices have been ignored and their interests sacrificed by the government despite indigenous families being considered a key part of the city’s pro-establishment force.
The Heung Yee Kuk, the rural body that represents the indigenous families of the New Territories, is considering setting up a formal political organisation to field a candidate to compete against a fellow pro-Beijing candidate in next month’s Legislative Council by-election.
The kuk has been an important pro-establishment political force in the past, playing a key role in mobilising villagers to support candidates from pro-government political parties. But there have been rows between the kuk and the Leung Chun-ying government over both sides’ failure to discuss the future of the much-criticised small house policy, as well as government plans to expand a landfill in Tuen Mun despite opposition from local villagers.
The small-house policy, meant to be a temporary measure when it was introduced in the 1970s, allows indigenous male residents of old villages in the New Territories to build a village house once they reach 18 years old. The policy has been widely abused, with people no longer resident in their home village, or even in Hong Kong, building homes which they rent out or sell. The kuk is seen as one of the obstacles to reforming or scrapping the policy.
Bowie Hau Chi-keung, a kuk ex officio executive councillor and Sheung Shui rural committee chairman, said: “The rural force is not quitting the pro-establishment camp. But we need to make it very clear that if you are nice to us, we will be nice to you. Otherwise, we will do it our own way and show you our power.”