John Tsang’s bold election pledge on public housing unrealistic, CY Leung says

In his strongest public criticism yet of the popular underdog in Hong Kong’s leadership election, outgoing Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying has questioned John Tsang Chun-wah’s pledge to provide public housing for 60 per cent of the city’s population.

Leung attacked Tsang a day after the former finance minister published his manifesto setting his goal of tackling the housing shortage through more efficient land use and redevelopment of old public estates.

Such a goal would force the government to use all available land for public housing and sell none to private developers, Leung cautioned yesterday.

“Property prices and rent will only be driven up if the government sells no lands to the private sector,” he said. “It would eventually push those who used to be able to afford buying or renting private flats to queue up for public housing.”

Citing the incumbent administration’s goal of providing 460,000 new flats in a decade, Leung said 60 per cent would be public housing, with the rest private housing.

It was a “clear and scientific goal”, he said, compared with Tsang’s pledge to put 60 per cent of Hongkongers in public flats.

In 2015, the proportion of Hongkongers living in public sector permanent housing, including public rental flats and subsidised home ownership flats, was 45.6 per cent.

“I am sure society would like to see Tsang explain whether his administration would indeed sell no land for private housing in order to get more Hongkongers living in public housing,” he said.