Shek parting plea for protesters

Youngsters arrested during the social unrest should be allowed to start afresh, former lawmaker Abraham Shek Lai-him said.

The 76-year-old, the most experienced lawmaker who represented the real estate and construction sector for five terms, is leaving the Legislative Council after 21 years as he will not seek reelection next month.

Shek said yesterday he and fellow pro-establishment lawmakers lamented the fact that many youngsters had their futures ruined during the anti-fugitive bill protests in 2019.

"It's not like we have no feelings," he said.

Shek, who holds a bachelor's degree in arts and a diploma in education from the University of Sydney in Australia, recalled: "When I was a university student, I had taken part in anti-Vietnam War protests. I was arrested many times. But I was lucky that I was not jailed.

"Society gave me a new chance. Those youngsters [arrested in recent years] should also be given a chance to turn a new leaf."

He said Hong Kong should "forgive but not forget" social conflicts over the past several years, while authorities should look into the actual causes and review the education system.

In the Legco meeting for the Fugitive (Amendments) Bill in 2019, Shek was recommended by pro-establishment lawmakers to host the meeting, but pro-democratic lawmakers besieged him at the president's seat at one stage.

He said in the interview that it was "his darkest days" as a lawmaker, but added he has not been "grumpy."

He added: "I'm old. I've seen everything. And it's a pity they had to do so much to ban me from having a meeting. But I also understand. They have their own set of system. But they did not mean to hurt me. Just that it's never-ending if we continue to point fingers at each other."

Shek said the SAR's authorities should focus on solving deep-rooted conflicts in the city.

He also said Beijing has only pointed out the city's housing problem but it did not explain why or how it can be solved. He was referring to remarks by Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office director Xia Baolong, who has said in recent months that he hoped Hong Kong could eliminate subdivided flats by 2049.

Shek said: "They have raised the issues. But have they thought of how the (HK) government can solve them? Have they helped Carrie Lam or the Hong Kong government to solve the problems? All they said is that there are problems, there are problems, there are problems."

Shek said the SAR also faces other social welfare issues and cited an example that an average of 5,000 SAR elderly citizens died per year while queuing for elderly home places.

"Did they [Beijing and Hong Kong officials] visit them? Did they reach out to them to learn about them?" he asked.

Shek anticipates that the new Legco term to begin in January - with 90 seats after Beijing overhauled the city's electoral system in May - will help authorities design and administer policies more effectively.

Seen as a representative for businessmen and a real estate and construction sector lawmaker who had been uncontested for the past five terms, Shek said a lawmaker has to put people's lives before their sector's interests.

He said he supported raising the minimum wage. "One has to support their family and children."

"As a lawmaker, as a person, you should not only serve your own sector, or for your own personal interest, but to serve the people."