Hong Kong’s CY Leung, Centaline founder clash over housing supply projections
Agency head Shih Wing-ching says Leung’s criticism involving his firm amounts to ‘personal attack’
A war of words between a former leader of Hong Kong and a major real estate agency has escalated over the government’s housing supply projections, with Centaline Property Agency founder Shih Wing-ching saying the criticism involving his firm amounts to “a personal attack”.
Shih on Tuesday pushed back against remarks by former chief executive Leung Chun-ying, who wrote four social media posts in the past four days criticising the Centaline founder.
Leung is now a state leader in his role as a vice-chairman of the country’s top political advisory body, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.
Shih had publicly accused the administration of inflating the supply statistics to create a perception among residents that authorities had been making progress when the actual number should be lower than what was presented.
Leung earlier defended the inclusion of unsold flats in supply numbers in the next few years and questioned whether Shih wanted to boost his company’s commission income by making such remarks.
Appearing on a radio programme, Shih said on Tuesday: “How do I challenge the leaders of the country? … If you discuss an issue with me, let’s focus on that. If the discussion involves my business, then it is a personal attack.”