Pan-democrats and community activists demand meeting with Link Asset Management chief executive George Hongchoy
ALLEN.AUYEUNG@SCMP.COM
UPDATED : Thursday, 05 May, 2016, 1:20pm
Since Link Reit took over government-owned malls and wet markets in 2005, rising rents have made many shop owners and tenants unhappy. Photo: Edward Wong
A scuffle broke out as over 30 pan-democrat politicians and community activists protested at Link Reit’s headquarters in Kwun Tong over the company’s broken promise to meet its tenants’ representatives for a dialogue.
About half an hour into the rally, which started at 10am, protesters attempted to enter the building’s lifts, clashing with AXA Tower security guards who tried to stop them.
Eight protesters, including Tsang Kin-shing of the League of Social Democrats, successfully accessed the lift and managed reach the real estate investment trust’s office on the 35th floor. The remaining protesters resumed their sit-in in the lobby while discussing their next move.
The protesters have demanded to see George Hongchoy, chief executive of Link Asset Management. The headquarters of Link Reit are on the 33rd floor of AXA Tower, while protesters believe Hongchoy’s office is on the 35th floor.
Rally participants include members of the Democratic Party, the Association for Democracy and People’s Livelihood, the Labour Party, the League of Social Democrats and community activists from various neighbourhoods, such as Tin Shui Wai and Tseung Kwan O.
Li Kam-yuen, chairman of the Tsing Yi Cheung Fat Estate Merchant Association, which led a group of market traders in a strike in February, was also present.
Democratic Party district councillor Au Nok-hin, who led the rally, said: “The problem now is Link Reit is just refusing [to meet with us].”
Au said representatives of Link Reit were willing to meet with only representatives of political parties, but not shop owners or tenants, contrary to earlier promises.
Since its takeover of government-owned malls and wet markets in 2005, Link Reit has been embroiled in accusations by community activists and some lawmakers of adopting a business practice that resulted in rent hikes which drove small enterprises out of business and affected the livelihood of residents.
The company has repeatedly denied the allegations and said it was willing to communicate with different stakeholders.
Cyrus Chan Chin-chun, caucus convener of the Concern Group for Tseung Kwan O People’s Livelihood, said: “Link Reit has been ceaselessly renovating their malls and markets, and after each renovation the rent soars, affecting traders and residents.”
Chan said there were currently eight malls and five wet markets in the area under the firm’s management.
Last Wednesday, Link Management and Link Properties sought a court injunction to ban protesters, like Au and “Long Hair” Leung Kwok-hung, from entering, remaining and protesting at Lok Fu Plaza and its headquarters in Kwun Tong.
The writ was filed to High Court a day after several groups staged a sit-in outside the office last Tuesday.
But a spokeswoman for Link Reit said on Thursday that the application had been dropped.
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/economy/article/1941497/hong-kong-protesters-scuffle-guards-they-storm-lifts-link
