Tung Chee-hwa's promises to ease housing problems received general appreciation yesterday. But it remained to be seen whether the pledges could be kept, said Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong chairman Tsang Yok-sing. The pro-Beijing party leader said he was cautiously optimistic about the objectives set out in the speech. Mr Tung promised to draw up a 10-year housing plan, providing not less than 85,000 flats each year for overall housing supply, reducing the waiting time for public housing to an average of three years and increasing the overall home ownership rate to 70 per cent. It is now 56 per cent. 'The aims are quite high. If they can be fulfilled, it would be very good for Hong Kong. But they involve questions like how the Government will allocate resources,' Mr Tsang said. Democratic Party housing spokesman Lee Wing-tat said he was happy to hear the pledge to reduce public housing waiting time. 'But I would need to talk to [housing taskforce chief] Leung Chun-ying about what concrete policies they are planning to attain these brave objectives,' Mr Lee said. He said Mr Tung would need great determination and skill to co-ordinate different government departments to achieve the targets. Secretary for Housing Dominic Wong Shing-wah said the administration would need to speed procedures. 'I, together with the Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands, have discussed the matter with Mr Tung to try our best to attain the objectives. 'I cannot say all the promises can be done within Mr Tung's five-year term of service, but they could be achieved in 10 years' time,' Mr Wong said. Mr Leung said: 'It shows Mr Tung is thinking highly of the housing problems and is revealing a clear and determined will to deal with the issue. 'If Mr Tung points them out in his speech, he is certainly confident of implementing them,' said Mr Leung, who has submitted his report on long-term housing strategy to Mr Tung. Mr Leung did not say whether Mr Tung had adopted any of his specific recommendations. Mr Leung said it was not appropriate for Mr Tung to make clear all the solutions in his speech or even in October's Policy Address. Mr Tung would reveal each policy gradually at a suitable time, Mr Leung said.
