Raking in the Donations

Tens of thousands came out to march and support their political parties

In yesterday's post I complained about how the July 1 protest march was a constant barrage of speeches angling for donations.

But it's interesting to find out today who garnered the most money -- Demosisto.

With Joshua Wong Chi-fung and Agnes Chow Ting waving to the crowd, cheering on the marchers and shaking hands, the political party received HK$530,000 (US$67,950). This is a 23 percent increase from last year's donations totaling HK$430,000.

Agnes Chow encourages the marchers in the heat

The party has gone through a lot of upheaval in the past year, with Nathan Law Kwun-chun stepping down from Demosisto after he, the party's sole representative in the Legislative Council, was kicked out for not reading the oath of office properly.

Ivan Lam Long-yin, the new chairman of Demosisto says despite having lost their sole lawmaker in Legco, the public still supports them.

Lam says the donations will be used to continue Demosisto's campaign called "Decoding Hong Kong's History", an archival research project that looks into declassified documents related to Hong Kong's handover in 1997.

He also said the money would be used to attend international conferences and fund the group's work on producing material related to issues like the proposed national anthem law.

Lee Cheuk-yan's Labour Party saw a drop in donations

Another big winner yesterday was Democracy Groundwork, led by disgraced lawmaker Lau Siu-lai, who had a 45 percent jump in donations to HK$276,000. She said she was buoyed by the support they received and is considering running in the upcoming Legco by-election in November.

Meanwhile traditional pan-democratic parties saw a drop in their donation takings. The League of Social Democrats which had several members embroiled in court cases, saw a 9 percent drop in donations to HK$460,000, while the Civic Party, Democratic Party and Labour Party saw a decline as well.

So Hong Kong people vote with their feet literally and their wallets it seems...

The Annual July 1 March

It took us over an hour and a half to walk out of Causeway Bay

Today is Canada Day and HKSAR day... the 21st anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland. The best way to celebrate? March in protest against the Hong Kong government!

When we arrived at Victoria Park from the Tin Hau MTR station, the football pitches were set up for a pro-Beijing Hong Kong Celebrations Association featuring a lion dance exhibition with many tents, but hardly anyone there. There was a joke that people were being paid to show up there.

Calls were made to free Liu Xia from house arrest

Meanwhile next to the pitches is a lawn area that wasn't full, but had a few thousand people already gathered. Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor was there -- in the form of a cardboard cut out, while other people held up banners for their specific causes. A significant one demanded that Liu Xia, the wife of Nobel Laureate Liu Xiaobo be freed from house arrest.

Almost as soon as we arrived, organizers encouraged us to leave at 3pm on the dot, walking towards Tin Hau and then turning right onto Hennessy Road. Getting out of Victoria Park was OK, and at the beginning we walked quite quickly.

But soon we came to a complete stop and crawled along Hennessy Road. In fact it took an hour and a half just to walk out of Causeway Bay and into Wan Chai. Weather-wise it was slightly overcast, with periodic breezes which was nice. For a few seconds some raindrops fell.

Carrie Lam made a flat appearance...

When we were near the shopping mall Hysan Place, we could actually feel the cold air from the air conditioning blasting from the mall! There were some policemen who posted themselves right by the mall entrance to benefit from the air conditioning...

Periodically someone on loud speakers would encourage marchers to chant slogans, but for the most part the street was lined with political parties and social groups soliciting for donations which got a bit too much.

We saw people like Lee Cheuk-yan of the Labour Party, League of Social Democrats' Lau Siu-lai who was ousted from the Legislative Council, and Joshua Wong Chi-fung of Demsisto give speeches and then less than an hour later we saw them again in Wan Chai. It wasn't just political parties, but every other cause under the sun, from human rights, to animal rights, saving Lantau, to recycling and stop shopping. Domestic helpers demanded more money and there was even a group supporting North Korean defectors.

The constant barrage of voices on microphones was nauseating, combined with the heat and having to walk slow wasn't much fun. We were also joined by the Falun Gong which was awkward.

Strangely the Falun Gong joined us with drums

We could hear a marching band behind us and it was a coordinated group of people in blue and yellow satin outfits, banging on drums and playing trumpets, clarinets and saxophones wearing white gloves. We didn't want to be associated with them, but they were marching at a good pace that made us jealous!

Nevertheless, by the time we got to Admiralty, things were looking up and we were walking at a good pace to the border with Central and then we turned right to make a loop towards Tamar. Here we were stopped so that cars could go by and behind me I could see lots of people waiting like us.

Organizers estimated around 50,000 people, lower than last year, but my friend YTSL begs to differ as she has marched every year in the last several years. She says definitively that this year there were many more people than last year, which organizers had said 60,000 people showed up.

So how could this year only be 50,000?! The police had the gall to say only 9,000 people marched.

When we reached Tamar, we were actually allowed to go into Civic Square, which was a strange sensation as it had always been locked up during then leader Leung Chun-ying's time. It was a bit of an anti-climax ending the march here and then having to wait for the rest of the marchers to come before a rally would be held.

I decided to leave early and went home, sweaty and tired, but happy to be counted with the discontented.

Decimated Pan-Democrats

Can the pan-democrats keep up the fight after all the antics they've done?

The pan-democrats really need to think hard about how they want to represent the people of Hong Kong after four lawmakers were removed from office for improper oath taking in the Legislative Council.

Last week Nathan Law Kwun-chung, Leung Kwok-hung, Edward Yiu Chung-yim and Lau Siu-lai were followed by the media as they cleared from their offices in Legco and walked out together, vowing to come back.

Nathan Law's picture of his empty office at Legco

The Hong Kong government had asked the High Court to disqualify the four from their seats, arguing they had broken Hong Kong's Oaths and Declarations Ordinance, and Judge Thomas Au agreed on July 14, referring to a controversial interpretation issued by China's National People's Congress (NPC) standing committee last November.

"Solemnity and sincerity" were qualities required retroactively by the NPC standing committee, a move that sparked protests and fears over the erosion of the city's judicial independence and political autonomy.

"The sole remaining channel for elected representatives to supervise the administration and the chief executive has now been lost," Leung said after the ruling. "This is a result that no Hong Kong person should accept."

Lawmaker Chu Hoi-dick after his appearance in court

Fast forward to yesterday, and a legal bid by a retiree to unseat another pan-democrat, Chu Hoi-dick failed due to the person's inability to pay the security cost on time to start the legal battle.

Even though Chu must have been relieved, he was still cautious afterwards outside the court.

"There is still nothing to be happy about," he said, claiming the central government had used the oath-taking issue as "an excuse to attack the Hong Kong legislature and to rewrite the result of the last Hong Kong Legislative Council elections".

As a voter in last year's elections, I am extremely disappointed that the pan-democrats have lost a crucial balance of power in Legco due to both their silliness in not respecting the oath-taking process, and for the Hong Kong government in going after them in such an aggressive legal manner.

Now the pro-establishment have the edge they need to be able to change Legco rules to limit filibusters and pass some controversial legislation, like the lease agreement at the new cross-border express rail link at the terminus in West Kowloon.

Yau Wai-ching raises eyebows with her swearing-in

The four include the other two Youngspiration lawmakers, Sixtus Baggio Leung Chung-hang and Yau Wai-ching who totally disrespected the oath by displaying a banner that read "Hong Kong is not China" and in their oaths said "Cheena" instead of "China" and using swear words.

The Hong Kong government (and Beijing) are desperate to keep their advantage in Legco, but they do not reflect public sentiment. Public opinion now -- not elected politicians -- will have to be the last resort in pushing back against the Lam administration and Sai Wan.

There will be by-elections for the four seats lost, but can the pan-democrats regain them again? Respect for them is eroding too, after all the antics we've seen since the election.

The pan-democrats will have to work extra hard to regain our trust, though the alternative is too unsavoury for many of us to swallow...

A Fifth Wheel?

Leung Kwok-hung wants to give the Election Committee a choice - himself

As if four candidates vying to become Hong Kong's next chief executive weren't enough -- a pan-democrat has decided to throw his hat into the ring.

And it's not a mild mannered, decently dressed one -- it's Leung Kwok-hung or "Long Hair", who seems intent on stirring things up.

The League of Social Democrats lawmaker said today that he would only officially put in his bid to become the city's next leader if he managed to secure 37,790 votes from the public, or one percent of the city's registered voters through a referendum held by post-Occupy group Citizens United in Action.

"I used to hold a stance of not voting, not nominating and not running in any small-circle election, so [my decision to run] is indeed a very huge change in my position," he told the media today.

Alan Leong (left) and Albert Ho (right) had run for CE before

"But I think the pan-democratic camp should never vote for any of the four pro-establishment contenders who cannot represent our camp at all."

Hmmm good point. But why him?

While the pan-democrats have 326 of the 1,194 votes in the Election Committee, some are divided on what to do; some plan to vote for John Tsang Chun-wah, while others may submit a blank vote as a symbolic protest to the unfairness of the small-circle election.

Leung said voting for Tsang would in effect endorse his platform to start the electoral reform process and try to pass the controversial national security law, Article 23.

When Leung made his announcement to run, critics immediately branded him a hypocrite, as he previously protested attempts by other pan-democrats to join the race, Alan Leong Kah-kit in 2007 and Albert Ho Chun-yan in 2012.

In 2010 Audrey Eu (right) challenged Donald Tsang for CE

Leung admitted he was not the best candidate to run, saying he had tried to lobby Audrey Eu Yuet-mee twice to get into the race, but she refused. You might remember she had a lopsided race against Donald Tsang Yam-kuen for chief executive many moons ago...

It seems Leung didn't get much support today from old school pan-democrats, and instead from people like Eddie Chu Hoi-dick, Lau Siu-lai and Nathan Law Kwun-chung.

Leung is definitely not the right candidate for the pan-democrats, but no one else really is. Are the political rookies supporting him just to agitate the situation?

Tsang's Embarrassing U-Turn

John Tsang told Legco he would not answer questions from four pan-dems

Following the total takedown of two localist lawmakers, Yau Wai-ching and Sixtus Baggio Leung Chung-hang, the Hong Kong government is gunning for four more pan-democrats, but the lack of support has led to the Leung Chung-ying administration having to back down.

Yesterday Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah refused to take questions in the legislature from "Long Hair" Leung Kwok-hung, Nathan Law Kwun-chung, Edward Yiu Chung-yim and Lau Siu-lai, citing advice from lawyers to doubt their status as legislators.

Edward Yiu, Nathan Law, Leung Kwok-hung and Lau Siu-lai

The announcement stunned the Legislative Council panel meeting yesterday morning, drawing objections and concerns from all sides, as the High Court hasn't even started hearing the government's case for having the four kicked out of Legco.

Some pan-democrats accused Tsang of overstepping his bounds to impress Beijing following his earlier hint he may run for the top job next year.

But then by the afternoon, the government did a U-turn, when even the pro-establishment parties questioned the justification for shunning the four.

"The administration will address inquiries from all lawmakers without changing its legal stance over the four lawmakers," said Legco's House Committee chairwoman Starry Lee Wai-king, quoting Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor after a meeting with her.

Carrie Lam reversed the government's stance by the afternoon

Even Legco President Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen expressed surprise at Tsang's stance, saying the four should still be regarded as lawmakers until the court ruling. He said the government should stick to a letter he received from Lam that said public officers would only respond to questions from members who have "duly taken the Legco oath in accordance with the law".

It is understood that even Leung Chun-ying didn't know Tsang's position in the morning, though the finance minister said it was based on a collective decision of the government after legal advice was received on Sunday night.

Tsang later said he agreed with the reversed decision made by Lam and Lee.

What is going on? Is there no communication between officials on their position on things? And where are they getting their legal advice from? Sounds childish not to respond to any lawmakers' inquiries, even if you plan to launch a suit against them. Did no one bring up this point during the meeting on Sunday evening?

Many critics are saying Leung Chun-ying is pushing his luck in trying to unseat four more legislators -- what have they legally done wrong? They seem completely mild mannered compared to two young people who swore and promoted independence while taking their oaths...

In any case, perhaps the cracks are even more prevalent in the Leung administration, where at least one, maybe two officials are gunning for their boss' job in 2017...

Tumultuous Start in Legco

Yau Wai-ching displays a banner before taking her oath -- but was rejected

If today's swearing-in of the legislators is a sign of Hong Kong in the next four years, it's going to be a rocky one to say the least.

As promised, some of the localists, Youngspiration's Sixtus "Baggio" Leung Chung-hang and Yau Wai-ching were rejected when they each had a blue banner with an outline map of the city that said "Hong Kong is not China".

Legco secretary general Kenneth Chen Wei-on pointed out what was written on the banner went against the oath the lawmakers had to take and also criticized the way both Leung and Yau pronounced China as "Cheena". Yau was asked to retake the oath two more times and even said "the people's re-f***ing of cheena"...

Sixtus "Baggio" Leung wears the banner and is rejected too

Another localist, Lau Siu-lai added a mini speech before taking her oath:

"I will walk with Hong Kong people, link up the inside and the outside of the legislature, and resist the autocratic regime," she said. "We must live in truth and integrity, and break the coldness and timidity of our society. We must also seek hope in the dark, and open the path of democratic self-determination. We must topple the high wall, and determine for ourselves and strengthen ourselves."

It took her eight minutes to read out her oath, pausing five to eight seconds between each word. Pro-Beijing lawmaker Junius Ho Kwan-yiu called out, saying her approach was "stupid".

Then when Nathan Law Kwun-chung had to take the oath, he demanded Chen explain why the three localists before him were rejected and had to take the oath again, but Chen refused to answer, saying it was time to take a break.

All the localists will have to retake their oaths again next week, but they were also trying to delay the vote of Lego president, but to no avail.

Andrew Leung was voted in as Legco president, but not by all

The front runner was pro-Beijing lawmaker Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen, but there were questions days before about his nationality because he was carrying a British passport.

Today he announced that the paperwork to rescind his citizenship was underway, but had no physical proof that he was not British anymore, and thus the tactics to try to delay the vote for Legco president.

However through political manoeuvering, Leung was voted in 38 to 0, with the localists ineligible to vote and pan-democrats ripping up their ballots in protest because they felt Leung's citizenship status was not clarified.

Many lawmakers also feel that when Leung was acting president, he operated more like a dictator. But it seems like the matter is done and now we have a Legco that is even more divided than before.

But this is what the people wanted in the election...

Which is probably why in other news, one in four people are looking to emigrate from Hong Kong, with one in 10 already moving towards that goal.

Can we not find some kind of middle ground and get things done for the best interests of Hong Kong? Or will today be an indication of what every Wednesday will be like in Legco for the next four years?