Advertisement
Hong Kong elections: officials not decisive, tough enough to fix housing woes, says ‘underdog’ Legco candidate Howard Chao
- Tycoon’s son, 38, wants to fix perception that developers are to blame for city’s housing crisis
- Candidate has been preparing his run for Legco, hopes to rebuild trust with public and Beijing
Reading Time:3 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
10
The Hong Kong Legislative Council’s sole seat for the real estate and construction sector will be contested for the first time in 17 years, with two candidates vying to reflect the interests of the city’s powerful property tycoons. Shamed by state media for hoarding land and blamed for the city’s sky-high home prices, the tycoons have seen their influence diminished under Beijing’s overhaul of Hong Kong’s electoral system.
Advertisement
In the first of a four-part series on this month’s election, the Post interviewed both candidates, who go before 463 corporate voters in their sector, one of 28 functional constituencies that will send 30 lawmakers to the 90-member Legco. Louis Loong Hon-biu, 70, chief administrator of an alliance of developers, faces Howard Chao, 38, scion of a colourful real estate family. The winner will replace pro-establishment businessman Abraham Razack, 76, who held the seat for 21 years but was told of Beijing’s preference that he did not seek re-election in the December 19 poll.
Howard Chao’s political ambitions have drawn less attention than the lifestyle of his flamboyant father, playboy property tycoon Cecil Chao Sze-tsung, who claims to have dated more than 10,000 women.
But the 38-year-old has been preparing his run for office for years.
Tired of seeing developers blamed for Hong Kong’s shortage of homes and sky-high property prices, he said he hoped to reduce the stigma, unify the industry, and rebuild trust with the public and Beijing if elected.
Advertisement
Advertisement