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Hong KongPolitics

DAB lawmaker admits he suggested the government scale down controversial Yuen Long public housing project

Leung Che-cheung denies lying about his understanding of the development

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A public housing project proposed for a 3.8-hectare brownfield site in Wang Chau in Yuen Long and owned by rural strongman Tsang Shu-wo was taken back by the government after opposition from rural leaders. Photo: Edward Wong
Tony Cheung

Beijing-loyalist lawmaker Leung Che-cheung has admitted that it was him who first suggested the government scale down a controversial public housing project in Yuen Long.

The news comes as Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying is expected to come clean on who made the call to hold development of a brownfield site in Wang Chau, which could yield some 13,000 public housing units, and instead prioritise a 4000-unit project on a green-belt site nearby.
DAB lawmaker Leung Che-cheung speaks about Wang Chau development plan at a radio programme this week. Photo: K. Y. Cheng
DAB lawmaker Leung Che-cheung speaks about Wang Chau development plan at a radio programme this week. Photo: K. Y. Cheng
Rural strongman Tsang Shu-wo operates a huge car park in the brownfield site.
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The Post has learned that all the top government officials including the chief executive and the three key secretaries took part in a collective decision on the project. Leung and Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah, who has distanced himself from the project, are expected to come clean on their roles in the project in a press conference today.

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Lawmaker Leung Che-cheung, from pro-Beijing Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, was chairman of the Yuen Long District Council when officials consulted him behind closed doors in 2013 and 2014.

He had previously stated that he had no knowledge of the reasons why the project was scaled down from 17,000 units to 4,000 units.

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