Double Bronzes for Hong Kong

Minnie Soo (left) hugs Doo Hoi-kem and Lee Ho-ching

 

The day started off really well with the Hong Kong women's table tennis team scoring a well deserved bronze in doubles. 

Hong Kong beat Germany for bronze today

They took revenge on Germany who had defeated them in the Rio Games in 2016. What's also interesting is that all the players are Hongkongers, not mainlanders who migrated to the city. 

"We are all home-grown and we have worked together and won medals in events other than the Olympics, such as the world Cup and world championships," said three-time Olympian Lee Ho-ching.

"The result carries a big meaning as home-grown players," Doo Hoi-kem said, hoping their bronze will inspire future generations in the sport.

Later in the day Grace Lau Mo-sheung also won bronze in karate, which made its Olympic debut. 

"I want to thank my family so much. Without their support, I could not even start as a full-time athlete," a teary Lau said after winning the bronze medal kata match against Turkey.

Grace Lau won bronze in debut sport karate

Hong Kong has now hauled in five medals for the Games, unprecedented for the city of 7.8 million.

Then many Hongkongers breathed a sigh of relief to hear that pop singer Anthony Wong Yiu-ming was spared a criminal record when the Independent Commission Against Corruption agreed to stop pursuing its claim that he gave a performance that broke the election law.

Wong and jailed former lawmaker Au Nok-hin were charged with corruption by providing entertainment at an election rally with the aim to sway voters in 2018.

A prosecutor for the ICAC said the agency agreed to settle the case against the two by imposing a bind-over order, which requires the accused to maintain good behaviour for a designated length of time, given the relatively minor nature of the offence.

Wong was spared a criminal record today

In this case, the order is for 18 months and they must pay HK$2,000 (US$257) each if they breach the terms, which included avoiding further election-related offences.

The 34-year-old Au is currently in jail serving a 10-month sentence for organizing and taking part in an unauthorized assembly on August 18, 2019. He is also awaiting trial on an alleged national security law violation.

After the ruling, Wong, 59, gave an impromptu performance outside Eastern Court of the Cantonese song, Ask Me, which he said reflected his thoughts.

The chorus is: "No matter if I am by all means correct, or if I am by all means wrong, I whole heartedly accept the consequences. To face everything in the world, no matter how it will be, I will preserve the real me."

Wong finished by saying, "Hongkongers continue singing. Hongkongers hang in there."

Au is still in jail for a 10-month sentence

The prosecution did not have enough evidence to show the court -- but promised it would when it had some. The prosecutor for the ICAC said she had no proof Au paid Wong for the performance or if the singer had been paid to appeal to voters.

Why this even went to court is curious. 

"After considering that the case involved only two songs and after reviewing the background of the case, we agreed to dispose of the case by way of a bind-over order," the prosecutor said.

There is no proof Wong and Au did anything criminally wrong and yet they must be on good behaviour for a year and a half.

The authorities are watching...

Singer Anthony Wong Arrested

 Wong arrested for allegedly singing songs at election rally

Another day, another arrest.

This time it's singer Anthony Wong Yiu-min for allegedly inducing others to vote for then candidate Au Nok-yin for the 2018 Legislative Council by-election.

Au was canvasing for the 2018 election

Au, 34, was also charged along with 59-year-old Wong for engaging in corrupt conduct for providing others with entertainment during an election, according to the Independent Commission Against Corruption.

It's interesting the ICAC is behind these arrests and not the national security law officers.

The ICAC alleges Wong performed two songs on the stage at a rally in Central and appealed to those attending to vote for Au at the coming election.

They were both charged on Monday under the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance and are to appear at Eastern Court on Thursday. Wong was released on bail.

The anti-graft agency said from late February 2018, Au published several posts on his social media saying he would hold a two-hour rally at Edinburgh Place in Central on March 3 that year and a few hours before the event revealed Wong would perform that day.

Leung has had a singer at her rally too

The Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance deems conduct corrupt if a person provides all or part of the cost of food, drink or entertainment for another person for the purpose of inducing others to vote or not to vote for a particular candidate at an election.

Wong is not only known as one-half of Canto-pop duo Tat Ming Pair, but was also a prominent supporter of the opposition camp, and protest movement. He is also an activist for sexual minority groups.

While Au and Wong will be defending themselves in court, it is also worth noting that a Chinese drum crew had performed at the rally of pro-establishment candidate Rebecca Chan Hoi-yan.

Also, in 2015, Dr Lee Ka-yan, who is a popular singer of local children's songs, performed alongside pro-Beijing lawmaker Priscilla Leung Mei-fun in Whampoa, where she was running for the district council elections.

Lai (right) dedicated 2 songs to Tsang

In addition, as far back as 2007, when then chief executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen campaigned for his re-election, Canto-pop singers Leon Lai Ming and Leo Ku Kui-kei dedicated two songs to Tsang, according to pro-establishment newspaper Wen Wei Po.

When asked if other politicians would be investigated as well, the ICAC spokesman said it would not comment on the probe, but stressed the commission acted with impartiality...