Tough questions for all those involved in Hong Kong’s Wang Chau housing saga
Three of city’s top officials and rural leader said to have stood in project’s way need to clarify their roles
The Wang Chau housing project has evolved from a land issue into a political battlefield where the two top men in the government cross swords, ahead of next year’s leadership election in which they may be rival candidates.
The spotlight is fully on the project after lawmaker-elect Eddie Chu Hoi-dick’s campaign over the past weeks to draw public attention to the plight of Yuen Long villagers it will displace, and to his long-time allegations of collusion between the government, business, landlords and triads behind it.
In a dramatic turn of events over the weekend, a leaked document revealed by a newspaper forced Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying to admit that he had initiated an ad hoc task force on Wang Chau and Queen’s Hill golf course in Fanling.
Leung’s critics say it is unusual for the chief executive to take personal charge of a medium-sized project like this. Adding to their suspicions is the fact that there is no mention of the task force in public records.
The embattled Leung brought his subordinate and potential rival, John Tsang Chun-wah, into the equation on Monday.
He said a pre-existing Steering Committee on Land Supply, chaired by the financial secretary to coordinate various bureaus on all land-supply measures, was also involved.