{
  "id": 11897686,
  "title": "Hong Kong should review reducing number of Legco seats to cut cost, Rita Fan says",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/04/hong-kong-should-review-reducing-number-of-legco-seats-to-cut-cost",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-04T10:03:10.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3369700/hong-kong-should-review-reducing-number-legco-seats-cut-cost-rita-fan-says"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Rita Fan, Hong Kong's former Legislative Council president, suggested reviewing the number of seats in the city's legislature due to the need for proper utilization of public funds. Fan also mentioned a plan proposed by officials from Hong Kong and Shenzhen before the city's handover to Chinese rule in 1997. The plan aimed to develop a plot along the two cities' border into a technology hub, but it was halted due to opposition within the government. During a radio show, Fan was asked whether the current 90 seats in Legco were too many. She agreed that keeping 90 seats might be costlier than having 60, but she cautioned that she was not in a position to make any substantial suggestions as she had stepped back from politics.",
  "summary": "Hong Kong’s first Legislative Council president suggested reviewing the number of seats in the city’s legislature, citing the need to use public funds properly. Rita Fan Hsu Lai-tai also said on Sunday that Hong Kong and Shenzhen authorities had discussed the development of a plot at the two cities’ border before the handover to Chinese rule in 1997, but the plan failed because of opposition…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "South China Morning Post - Hong Kong",
        "title": "To become a dog-friendly city, Hong Kong needs dog literacy",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/04/to-become-a-dog-friendly-city-hong-kong-needs-dog-literacy",
        "published": "2026-10-04T01:30:10.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}