Tuesday, November 09, 2010

Hong Kong priest says city’s richest man is the ‘devil’

A Hong Kong Catholic priest has called the city’s richest man Li Ka-shing a “devil”, weeks after the tycoon made headlines by pledging to give millions to the poor.

Fr Thomas Law made the remarks after a weekend Halloween party, saying Hong Kong’s property developers – not spirits – are the real demons, local media reported.

Law made the remarks in connection with growing criticism that property companies are fudging the size of residential apartment units in the densely populated city of seven million people.

“If Li Ka-shing were to come tonight, that would sure scare the heck out of us,” the outspoken priest told reporters after the party.

“(He) is the true devil that kills people,” Law added.

Law could not be reached for comment last Wednesday.

The South China Morning Post last Wednesday quoted Law as saying: “I have nothing to say about the incident... But I only hope there will be more angels in Hong Kong.

“God hears the prayers of the poor people, but in our city the general public has no voice while the rich people do.”

Local media reports have suggested that Li – whose companies own a wide swathe of interests, including real estate – might sue over the “devil” comments.

But a spokeswoman for Li’s Cheung Kong (Holdings) told AFP last Wednesday: “We have not pressured the church and we do not intend to sue (them).”

In a letter to the city’s Catholic Diocese, the conglomerate’s head of corporate strategy, Gerald Ma, expressed his “disappointment and helplessness” over Law’s comments.

“We of course respect freedom of speech,” Ma wrote.

“But all responsible people, regardless of their profession and beliefs should be cautious with their words and deeds.”

“Like the Catholic church, Mr Li is passionate in his support for social and charity work. We do not understand why he is subjected to this unfair humiliation,” Ma added.

“It is regretful that there are good and bad people in the Church, but God still loves us all,” the letter said.

Vicar-general Michael Yeung – the second most senior official in Hong Kong’s Catholic church – told AFP the church has never had negative feelings toward Hong Kong’s rich, calling Law’s 
remarks “very inappropriate”.

“I don’t think anyone should go about attacking others,” Yeung told AFP. “I hope Fr Law will take responsibility for his words, but honestly I don’t know how he can do that,” Yeung added.

“Anything that he says as a priest... people will automatically assume that it is said on behalf of the Church.”

Last month Li pledged to donate 500 million Hong Kong dollars (€45 million) to a government fund established to help the poor amid concern over a growing income gap.

The city’s property tycoons have so far pledged a total of 1.3 billion Hong Kong dollars to the Community Care Fund.

SIC: TOM/INT'L