‘Being young is not an excuse’: moderate former lawmaker criticises Hong Kong localists over oaths
Ronny Tong also blasts pan-democrats for handling of controversy
The previous Legislative Council president warned that if any incoming lawmakers fail to properly take their members’ oath when retaking it this week they could be breaking the law and could even lose their seats.
Jasper Tsang Yok-sing was referring to Youngspiration’s Sixtus “Baggio” Leung Chung-hang and Yau Wai-ching and Edward Yiu Chung-yim, whose oaths Legco secretary general Kenneth Chen Wei-on invalidated last week.
During last week’s inaugural Legco meeting, Leung and Yau pronounced China as “Chee-na”, a variation of the derogatory “Shina” used by Japan during the second world war. Yiu modified the oath by adding his own phases.
The trio are due to retake their oaths on Wednesday in front of new president, Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen, and Tsang said on Sunday that any legislators who lead the president to believe they are neglecting the oath on purpose would be breaking the law and would need to resign.
Moderate Hong Kong politician Ronny Tong Ka-wah, convenor of think tank Path of Democracy, criticised the Youngspiration pair’s actions last week.
Whichever way you look at the matter, whether it’s political, ethical or legal, it’s not acceptable
“I was very angry and saddened when I heard what they said,” the former Civic Party lawmaker said in a radio programme. “Whichever way you look at the matter, whether it’s political, ethical or legal, it’s not acceptable.”
