Friday, November 12, 2010

Hong Kong tycoon told to take 'devil' remark as joke

Hong Kong's richest man Li Ka-shing has telephoned church officials after a Catholic priest called him a "devil", but the tycoon was told to treat the remark as a joke, a report said Wednesday.

Father Thomas Law made the controversial comments at a Halloween party two weeks ago, saying the city's property developers -- not spirits -- are the real demons, just weeks after the tycoon pledged to give millions to the poor.

Li telephoned Vicar-General Michael Yeung -- the second most senior official in Hong Kong's Catholic church -- to discuss the controversy and was told to put the matter behind him, the South China Morning Post reported.

"Father Yeung explained to Mr Li that Father Law made the comments in an unofficial manner which did not represent the diocese's position," an unnamed church official was quoted as saying.

"The comments were only meant as a joke," the source added.

Local media have suggested that Li might want to sue over the "devil" remark but a spokeswoman from his Cheung Kong (Holdings) conglomerate told AFP last week that there were no such plans.

The priest 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.

Last month Li pledged to donate 500 million Hong Kong dollars (64 million US dollars) to a government fund established to help the poor amid concern over a growing income gap.

SIC: AFP/INT'L