Kuk split on protest letter
THE Heung Yee Kuk yesterday failed to reach a consensus on a letter of discontent over proposals by several political groups to scrap the kuk's seats in the District Board and the Regional Council.
Members are now concerned the kuk will not be able to make its dissatisfaction public before the Lunar New Year.
They were split on whether the document was strong enough to express the kuk's objections.
The letter, presented by the kuk's politics and law committee, said that Hongkong should adopt a pragmatic attitude towards political reform.
It said the kuk's representatives were meant to balance the voice of New Territories residents against that of urban residents, who grabbed most of the seats in the Government.
The two-page letter also claimed kuk representatives had been elected through democratic procedures and even women had the right to vote at the village level.
Some members found the letter too weak to express their discontent over lobbying by political groups for the abolition of their promised seats. Others said the wording was too strong.
Meanwhile, kuk members expressed concern before yesterday's meeting over the recent debate on political reform.
Kuk chairman Mr Lau Wong-fat is joining the Co-operative Resources Centre's London trip later this month to lobby British Prime Minister Mr John Major on the controversy.
