Heung Yee Kuk representatives walk out of meeting without government officials

Negotiations between Heung Yee Kuk and the Development Bureau on Thursday ended on a sour note, as Kuk representatives abruptly walked out of a meeting called to discuss highly inflamed issues.

One day earlier, the rural body had declared its intention, stating that some New Territories land owners now living abroad intend to file complaints with Chinese embassies in their host countries about the SAR government's plan for a three-year freeze on development on 54 parcels of land that encroaches into country parks.

Another hot item on the agenda was opposition by the Heung Yee Kuk to the government's plan to remove illegal structures connected to buildings owned by people in the New Territories.

Leung Fuk-yuen, chairman of the Shap Pat Heung Rural Committee, among others, stormed out of the Murray building before the agenda was completed.

Visibly angry, he declared that members representing six villages in Yuen Long had quit the meeting.

Leung said the meeting went "very badly" and that the situation threatened to foment "social disorder".

The government knows nothing about the complicated history of the New Territories, he said, stating the rural representatives are merely trying to help the government to solve existing problems.

Sitting in his car just before leaving, Leung stated angrily that Chairman of Heung Yee Kuk Lau Wong-fat will "release some bombs", adding that the government must take responsibility for any consequence.

The meeting ended shortly after the abrupt departure of the village representatives.

Lau had little to say after the meeting other than that the two sides had failed to reach a consensus. The key sticking point, he went on, was over the issue of Block Government Leases.

The government, Lau said, believes that village houses built on land under Block Government Leases are no different with other houses.

Heung Yee Kuk doesn't agree.

The New Territories body also stated that government should not freeze villagers' private lands without compensation. Lau suggested some form of land exchange as the "best solution".

He made little of the raised temperatures at the meeting, calling such disputes "fairly common" during negotiations. He characterized Leung's earlier comment about "bombs" as impulsive and considered it a joke, adding he had no bombs with him at all.

The next move, he said, is to keep talking, and reduce differences step by step.

Secretary for Development Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor didn't meet with reporters after the meeting.

guojiaxue@chinadailyhk.com

China Daily

(HK Edition 09/09/2011 page1)