Heung Yee Kuk
| 鄉議局 | |
| File:HengYeeKuk Logo.png Emblem of the Heung Yee Kuk | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1959 |
| Headquarters | Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong |
| Agency executive |
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| Website | www.heungyeekuk.org |
| Heung Yee Kuk | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional Chinese | 鄉議局 | ||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 乡议局 | ||||||||||
| Literal meaning | Rural Council | ||||||||||
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The Heung Yee Kuk (lit. 'Rural Council'), officially the 'Heung Yee Kuk N.T.', is a statutory advisory body representing establishment interests in the New Territories, Hong Kong.
Colloquially shortened to 'the Kuk', the powerful organisation comprises representatives of each rural committee.
Since 1980 it has been led by Lau Wong-fat, as chairman, a billionaire landowner and now heavyweight political figure in the pro-Beijing camp.[1]
The organisation has its own functional constituency in the Hong Kong Legislative Council. The long-time occupant of the seat is the Kuk chairman, Lau Wong-fat.
History
The Heung Yee Kuk was established in 1926, to "work and negotiate with the government to promote the welfare of the people of the New Territories".[2] It was given formal status by the Heung Yee Kuk Ordinance (Chapter 1097), first enacted 11 December 1959 (originally as 45 of 1959).
Over the years the organisation has dabbled in charity work. For example, in 1966 it donated HK$660,000 to found the Heung Yee Kuk Yuen Long District Secondary School, in Yuen Long.
References
- ^ Bridge Builder, Christine Loh, Civic Exchange
- ^ HKBU receives HK$1 million to publish history of Heung Yee Kuk N.T., HKBU Communications Office, 28 April 2011
External links
- Official Website of Heung Yee Kuk Template:Zh icon
- full text of the Heung Yee Kuk Ordinance (Chapter 1097)
- New Territories Heung Yee Kuk Yuen Long District Secondary School website
