On april 19th,the Ombudsman's office released a report condemning poor government enforcement of laws against building illegal structures on small houses in the New Territories.A few days later,indigenous village representatives said they wanted the government to amend the law so they could keep their existing illegal structures.Some warned they'd take to the streets if opposed.
Under the Small House Policy introduced in 1972,every indigenous male villager over 18 can build one small house in his life time.According to the Heung Yee Kuk(乡议局） 240,000 are eligible to apply.At the moment,12,000 are on the waiting list.The small house can be up to 27 feet or three storeys high,with the area of each floor not exceeding 700 square feet.Some feel this is unfair to others born in Hong Kong but Victor Zheng,Who researches Hong Kong clans and families,feels the tradition should be respected but not extended.He says the Basic Law guarantees the villagers' rights.
Legislators,including Lee Wing-tat and Ronny Tong,say that indigenous male villagers should be satisfied with the right to own a house of more than 2,000 square feet.
Legislator and Heung Yee Kuk(乡议局）member Cheung Hok-ming says that Development Bureau officials have negotiated with the Heung Yee Kuk (乡议局）and are likely to permit illegal structures as long as they don't compromise safety.After receiving petitions from rural committee chairmen,the Director of Buildings Au Choi-kai said on Thursday that exempted houses in the New Territories are different from other buildings regulated by the Building Ordinance.They are small scale and relatively low risk in terms of safety.Recently,Ming Pao Daily (XX报纸)published several editorials asking whether the rights of indigenous New Territories residents should be reviewed.It said the next Chief Executive should make this a top priority.
更新1:
Back in the land of the living,which in Hong Kong at least,is relatively limited in size,there is tendency for buildings to get taller as they can't get wider.where indigenous villagers are chafing against building height restrictions,that were introduced four decades ago.
更新2:
Not many people in the New Territories are still sticking to the land for farming vegetable and poultry farming.So it is not a tradition any more.
更新3:
And then,on the other hand,when we give the housing rights or the rights to small houses to every descendant,with the limitation of land supply and the continuous growth of population we have to think seriously on how to make a stop to this policy. 還有這3段