Roy Kwong among 16 district councilors ousted

Sixteen more district councillors, including former Democratic Party lawmaker Roy Kwong Chun-yu, have been ousted from office, after the government deemed their oaths of allegiance to be “invalid” on Thursday.

The latest patch of disqualifications also brings the total number of councillors to be stripped of their elected positions to 49 in a total of four oath-taking ceremonies.

The 16 include Tsuen Wan district councillors Lam Sek-tim, and Li Hung-por; Tuen Mun district councillors Tsang Kam-wing, and Kenneth Cheung Kam-hung; Yuen Long district councillors Lai Kwok-wing, Zachary Wong Wai-yin, Roy Kwong Chun-yu, Felix Cheung Chi-yeung, Ng Hin-wang, Lai Po-wa, Chan Sze-nga, and Lee Wai-fung; Kwai Tsing district councillors Tong Ho-man, and Leung Ching-shan; and Islands district councillors Wong Chun-yeung and Sammy Tsui Sang-hung.

A government statement on Thursday wrote that the oath administrator -- Secretary for Home Affairs Caspar Tsui Ying-wai -- determined on October 8 that of the 68 District Council members who took oaths that day, the oaths taken by 51 were valid.

The statement added that the oath administrator had questions about the validity of the oaths taken by the other 17 members, and letters were issued to them on the same day to ask them to provide additional information. Among them, Chan Mei-lin of the Yuen Long District Council tendered her resignation on October 11.
 
“After considering the written replies from the District Council members concerned and all relevant information, the oath administrator, based on the principles laid down by the Interpretation and the relevant legal provisions, determined that the oaths taken by 16 DC members were invalid,” the statement said.