Hong Kong chief executive hopeful Woo Kwok-hing throws support behind small-house policy as court challenge looms
Retired judge makes appearance at major Heung Yee Kuk rally but denies campaigning for rural votes, after High Court gives green light to judicial review application of controversial policy
The retired judge was speaking at a high-profile rally organised by the Heung Yee Kuk, the powerful rural body that represents the interests of indigenous villagers, but denied he was campaigning for votes. The kuk holds 26 votes in the 1,200-strong Election Committee which decides who should lead Hong Kong.
The rally came after it was revealed a judicial review application challenging the small-house policy had been given the go-ahead by the High Court.
The application, submitted by Kwok Cheuk-kin, a Cheung Chau resident with a long record of applying for judicial reviews, was filed in December last year requesting cancellation of the policy. The High Court granted leave to apply for a judicial review on November 18.
Woo, who remains the only prominent figure to have declared his interest in the city’s top post, unexpectedly turned up at the kuk rally in Yuen Long on Sunday afternoon, when thousands of villagers arrived to defend their “traditional” and “historical” land rights.
Kuk chairman Kenneth Lau Ip-keung told the government to uphold Article 40 of the Basic Law, which states that “the lawful traditional rights and interests of the indigenous inhabitants of the New Territories shall be protected”.
“We have never received a singly penny [from the government] … Don’t force us to go down the path of defiance,” he warned.
During an eight-minute speech, Woo criticised the government for its long and complicated procedures in approving small-house applications, even calling for the relaxation of the three-storey limit imposed on homes so villagers could build “a few more storeys”.
The chief executive earlier warned that villagers who wished to exercise their rights faced a lengthy wait as the policy created pressure on public land supply.
“[Leung] once said the small-house policy would be unsustainable. This is misleading and irresponsible,” Woo said, drawing thunderous cheers from the crowd.
When asked about a pending legal challenge to the small-house policy, Woo said the matter should be left to the court to settle.
“[But] I support whatever is legal in their rights. [The villagers] should have their legal rights protected,” the former Court of Appeal judge said.
Legal documents relating to the judicial review application were sent to the relevant parties in the case on Thursday, including the Department of Justice and the kuk.
Kwok is arguing that the small-house policy, which allows indigenous male residents of traditional villages in the New Territories to build a three-storey house, should be scrapped as it violated the principle of gender equality and was unfair to urban residents.
Critics say the policy, meant to be a temporary measure when it was introduced in 1972, has been widely abused, with people no longer resident in their home village or even in Hong Kong, building homes which they rent or sell.
