War of words over 'traitor' taunt at former Legco chief

Michael Shum

Hong Kong's two biggest political parties are locked in a war of words after lawmaker Joephy Chan Wing-yan accused former Legislative Council president Jasper Tsang Yok-sing of being a "traitor" with his critical comments on the enactment of Basic Law Article 23.

In a recent news commentary, Tsang, a founding member of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, cast doubts over the more stringent national security legislation after the enactment of Article 23.

Chan, a member of the Federation of Trade Unions, fired back that Tsang has "become a traitor in such a critical time" in her video posted on YouTube on Friday.

Without naming Chan, DAB member Steven Ho Chun-yin said yesterday someone is clickbaiting by attacking everyone who expressed doubts over the enactment of the law, including scholars and politicians who were making honest comments.

"As a lawmaker, we should be allaying citizens' concerns over particular offenses of the law they find unclear, but not attacking everyone with worries towards the enactment," Ho said.

"Livelihood issues exist in Hong Kong, worries towards the law enactment also exist, but not all people who hold doubts towards the legislation oppose the legislation. We strongly condemn this kind of clickbaiting and non-patriotic behavior," he added.

Speaking to reporters after the antechamber meeting yesterday, FTU president Stanley Ng Chau-pei said there is no need for the media to "hype the issue," as "the FTU's opinion on the issue has been made very clear".

In response to the incident, Chan said yesterday that apart from being a lawmaker, she is also a key opinion leader and will stand up to any malicious slanders or smears towards the enactment of Article 23.

"This is my responsibility, and hope that the enactment can be completed as perfectly as it possibly could," Chan said.

"The government also has a rebuttal team, and [Secretary for Justice Paul Lam Ting-kwok] has also responded to the incident. I support his clarification towards the enactment," she added.

Also speaking to reporters after the antechamber meeting with 60 lawmakers, Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung said the bill for the law enactment will be tabled at Legco in the near future, and he expects more slanders and smears.

Although foreign forces and wanted suspects who have absconded overseas are misleading the public, he believed Hongkongers can discern fact from fiction.

"The government's rebuttal team will continue telling citizens the truth," Tang said.

He attempted to allay citizens' concerns over the offenses of sedition and theft of state secrets under the article.

"Sedition only targets provocative remarks, those made based on facts will not breach the law," Tang said.

For theft of state secrets, he said only those who have a criminal intention can be convicted.

michael.shum@singtaonewscorp.com