- By Denis Chang, SC

Much has been said and written about the speech which Wu Bangguo, head of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, made on 6 June concerning the origin, limits and principles of Hong Kong’s “authorized autonomy” under “One Country, Two Systems”.

As I see it, the problem is not in what he has actually said but in what he has not said or emphasized. (more…)

The 39-day hearing before the Commission of Inquiry on Allegations relating to the Hong Kong Institute of Education was an ordeal one would not want to go through more than once. Being the first witness on the stand and staying there for seven days was very stressful indeed. Afterwards it was tough sitting on an uncomfortable bench for several hours each day, following the proceedings with intense concentration. It was also galling to have to sit and listen to outrageous things being said without being able to correct them immediately. (more…)

- by Margaret Ng

I remember the night of the handover, how shortly after midnight I rose quietly from the celebration banquet and found my way to the awaiting small van to speed me and my fellow democrat legislators back to the LegCo building.

I remember it was still drizzling; we went up the darkened stairs and corridors to the balcony of this building which has grown so familiar to us and yet felt so strange at that hour. Below in the streets all around crowds had gathered expectantly. And we made our farewell to them then. We pledged to continue to fight for democracy and defend the rule of law, and to return when legitimate election returned for the Legislative Council. (more…)

- by Claudia Mo

In 1997, around the time of the handover, former RTHK head Cheung Man-yee was once privately asked : “Does Jimmy Lai seriously think democracy and obscenity can go hand-in-hand in his paper?”

“Yes,” Cheung replied. (more…)

by Maggie Brooke
Convenor, Heritage Hong Kong

In Hong Kong “architectural significance” is currently the only test under the law when considering legal protection for our old buildings no matter what unique, historical, social or cultural value may be attached to a particular property, group of properties or even a neighbourhood. This means that many of our more interesting buildings and neighbourhoods – the Wanchai Market/Blue House area, the old terraces in Western, are examples – may simply disappear merely because there is no policy or process to facilitate their protection. This was the issue with Star Ferry and still is with Queen’s Pier – there is no recognition at present of broader “social” and cultural values. (more…)

by Stephen Chingkiu Chan
Photograph by Dick Fung

Three ‘heritage guardians’ in Hong Kong tell their distinctive, fascinating stories : George Cautherley, a descendent of the Heard family whose residence Heard House at 1 Battery Path, built in 1867, is now the Court of Final Appeal; Cynthia Lee, the IT business woman who set up the Dragon Garden Charitable Foundation last year after a long and complicated fight she had with her own family elders, the collective owner of the historical Dragon Garden in Tsing Long-tau, to save the heritage from being demolished (i.e., sold to the fat-but-hungry real-estate developer); and Loy Ho, the young mother and dancer from rural Lantau whose pioneering sit-in demonstration at the pier in urban Central triggered off the recent protests and debates that have taken place within and about the public space of our city constituted by Star Ferry and the adjacent Queen’s Pier. (more…)

by Gladys Li

“The selection of the Chief Executive is a small-circle election.” “It is incompatible with Article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.” “It is a recipe for dysfunctional government.” True, true and true again and good reasons for not taking part. However, the same could be said of functional constituency elections for seats in the Legislative Council. Yet have not Martin Lee and Margaret Ng stood as candidates and been elected and aren’t they decent, principled people? And I have voted in the Legal Functional Constituency election. Do we support the functional constituency system by participating in such elections, whether as voter or candidate? (more…)

Interview by Eva Chan
Translation by Margaret Ng
Photography Dick Fung

Alan Leong Ka-kit hardly has time to eat or sleep these days. Every minute of his waking hours is occupied with meeting people, giving interviews, and holding discussions with his many advisors on various areas of his election platform - all on top of his normal duties as legislator. Evenings are taken up with prescribed reading or papers prepared for him as part of his “intensive drill” for the coming contest for Chief Executive.

The surprise victory of the democrats in the Election Committee election brought a moment of Champagne popping euphoria, but people wondered if it had got to Alan Leong’s head: does he believe the contest is for real? Has he forgotten he has no chance to win? (more…)

by Kit Fun

Members of the 800 Election Committee (EC) will be elected on this Sunday 10 December. They will pick Hong Kong’s third Chief Executive (CE). So far only Civic Party legislator Alan Leong has declared candidacy, while Donald Tsang Yam Kuen who is expected to win has yet to announce his bid.

Ten years ago at the first CE election, eight people vied for the post, including heavyweights Oriental Overseas boss Tung Chee Hwa, former Chief Justice Yang Ti-liang, Wharf Group Chairman Peter Woo and Preliminary Working Committee of the Preparatory Committee Deputy Director Simon Li Fook-Sean. (more…)

By Joseph Y.S. Cheng

When Robert Kennedy stood for U.S. president in 1967-1968, he was able to offer a vision to the American nation and demonstrate that he had compassion for the ordinary people.

American people in the latter half of the 1960s experienced a lot of frustration over the conduct of the Vietnamese War. The power of the United States had been in decline. President Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society Programme exposed the injustices of the American society more than bridging the gap between the rich and poor, as well as that between the white and the coloured. (more…)