Hong Kong rural leader says opponents exploited ‘public misunderstanding’ in housing development controversy

Heung Yee Kuk chairman Kenneth Lau Ip-keung calls ‘smear’ campaign against them an ‘irresponsible attempt to fuel tension between town residents and villagers’

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Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying officiates at the reception hosted by Heung Yee Kuk. Photo: Sam Tsang

Published: 2:59pm, 23 Sep 2016Updated: 12:12am, 24 Sep 2016

The head of Hong Kong’s village leaders, who have been at the centre of a housing project controversy, expressed regrets on Friday that some politicians had made use of the “public’s misunderstanding” of rural affairs to smear them.

Heung Yee Kuk chairman Kenneth Lau Ip-keung, who will take office as the rural body’s representative in the Legislative Council next month, was speaking amid the recent debate over the government’s handling of a controversial housing project in Wang Chau.

A large part of the plan was deferred amid strong opposition from rural leaders with vested interests in the area. Newly-elected lawmaker Eddie Chu Hoi-dick had received death threats after claiming that the project’s handling was an example of “official-business-rural-triad collusion” in the New Territories. Thirty pan-democrat and localist lawmakers want to launch an inquiry into the Wang Chau plan after they are sworn into office on October 12.

The Kuk is a 90-year-old council of rural power brokers and village leaders in 27 rural committees in the New Territories. They have been generally pro-government, but many of the rural strongmen are also landlords, and have objected to a number of development plans as the government seeks to solve the city’s housing shortage.

Speaking in the Kuk’s annual reception celebrating the National Day, Lau said: “The Kuk finds it unacceptable for anyone to be threatened for expressing opinion on New Territories affairs.

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Hong Kong rural leader says opponents exploited ‘public misunderstanding’ in housing development controversy

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Heung Yee Kuk chairman Kenneth Lau Ip-keung calls ‘smear’ campaign against them an ‘irresponsible attempt to fuel tension between town residents and villagers’

Heung Yee Kuk chairman Kenneth Lau Ip-keung calls ‘smear’ campaign against them an ‘irresponsible attempt to fuel tension between town residents and villagers’