From Ip Man to CE: film producer Checkley Sin joins election fray

A kung fu movie producer has announced his bid to enter Hong Kong's Chief Executive election, saying he will focus on improving people's livelihood.  

Businessman Checkley Sin Kwok-lam, the producer of the Ip Man series starring Donnie Yen Ji-dan, said he wants to improve people's living standards by tackling housing and medical issues.   

He said with his grassroots background, he will invite the public to join in during the formulation of his policy framework. He will upload his proposals onto a website for critique by citizens and 1,488 Election Committee members – the latter empowered with electing the CE.  

He did not have the backing of any corporations and will aim to balance the interests of different sectors instead of advocating hatred against the rich.  

The 64-year-old said some may question if he is qualified for the city's top job and if he is using the election to boost his own popularity since resigning as the chairman of the film-making company National Arts Entertainment and Culture Group last July.  

Sin has been a political commentator since the unrest in 2019. He is known as a key opinion leader (KOL) for the pro-establishment camp, and his YouTube channel has 150,000 subscribers.  

Calm seems to be restored with the implementation of the national security law, but the city has been torn and exhausted, he went on to say.   

Dramatic reforms are needed in the next five years, he said: "How many more five years can Hong Kong afford?"   

It remains unclear if Sin can secure sufficient nominations to join the CE race scheduled on March 27.   

After the electoral changes, candidates will have to secure at least 188 nominations -- at least 15 nominations from each of the five sectors -- within the Election Committee in order to run in the CE election, while each member from the 1,448-member EC can only nominate one candidate.