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Hong Kong bureaucrat answers 'God’s call' to bid for top post

Two top bureaucrats expected to fight it out to succeed CY Leung as the city’s Chief Executive in a closed March 'election'
Hong Kong bureaucrat answers 'God’s call' to bid for top post

Carrie Lam speaks at a press conference to announce her resignation from the Legislative Council in anticipation of running for Chief Executive in Hong Kong on Jan. 12. Hong Kong's tough pro-Beijing number two Lam announced her bid to lead the deeply divided city on Jan. 12 after stepping down from her current post as chief secretary. (Photo by AFP) 

 

Published: January 13, 2017 10:11 AM GMT
Updated: January 13, 2017 10:13 AM GMT

Hong Kong has moved a significant step closer to getting its second Catholic leader in five years after its number two bureaucrat Carrie Lam announced she would run, with the city finance tsar John Tsang also expected to throw his hat in the ring.

The pair are the leading contenders to replace CY Leung in an election held by 1,200 of Hong Kong's elite — including Catholic representatives but featuring only candidates approved by China — although Tsang has not officially announced his candidacy in a race that will officially begin six weeks before the March 26 election.

While Tsang has yet to officially confirm his candidacy, Lam reportedly told an internal government seminar on Jan. 12 that the only reason for her decision was what she described as "God’s call."

Lam is a regular churchgoer at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church and also spoke of her vision for Hong Kong, including the need to support the disadvantaged and to promote balanced development and an inclusive society, the cornerstone of an eight-point vision that is shaping up as her election pitch.

But anger swept through social media after her resignation as chief secretary was made public, particularly in response to Lam’s long-time combative approach to popular opinion and various pointers that she plans to continue the hard line of CY Leung, the unpopular Chief Executive who dramatically decided not to seek a second five year term last month. Lam has been dubbed as a "female CY." 

Lina Chan, secretary general of the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission, told ucanews.com that Lam prided herself in being a "good fighter" against growing dissident voices on government policies, "and with her stubbornness, she may set prerequisites to public consultations and ignore voices at the grassroots when formulating policies."

Chan added that Lam proposed reducing social subsidies for the needy when she was head of the social welfare department. "The media has also revealed that the retirement policy as handled by Lam would not introduce a pension scheme that covers all citizens in the 2017 Budget Policy," Chan said.

Lam’s remark of seeing her decision to run as "God’s call" also drew fierce criticism from Catholics, with some questioning whether "her God" is Beijing — and if she is using God’s name to advance her own advantage.

The dominance of Catholics in a city where the church answers to Rome is rich with irony. Hong Kong now is officially controlled by mainland China who’s official Catholic "church" is run by Party officials, rather than the Holy See.

 

Other Chief Executive hopefuls

Apart from Lam, there appears to be three more Chief Executive hopefuls, including Finance Secretary John Tsang. The others are retired judge Woo Kuo-hing and Regina Yip Lau Suk-yi, lawmaker and chairwoman of the pro-government New People's Party.

Tsang, a non-practicing Catholic, is thought to be still waiting for Beijing’s approval for his resignation that was tendered on Dec. 12. Various media reported that Beijing is expected to approve the resignations of Lam and Tsang on Jan. 19.

Tsang, who is popular for speaking the language of the ordinary people and more distanced from the widely reviled Leung, is the leading candidate in election polls.

In an online news program Jan. 13, Tsang was asked if God supported him to run in the election. "I didn’t ask. But a Biblical story said God’s chosen people usually have to walk a rugged road," he replied, adding "I have walked a rugged road for decades and will continue to do so."

 

Catholic identity brings shame

Hong Kong has a higher proportion of Christians holding senior government posts due to its colonial history and the Catholic and Protestant churches’ immense influence through their high quality schools and universities.

Yet, the scandals of Christian government officials continue to mount and Christian lawmakers increasingly defend interests of the authoritarian regime in Beijing that continues to tighten its grip on the former colony. Hong Kong will celebrate the 20th anniversary of its hand-back from the United Kingdom in the middle of this year.

A senior church official told ucanews.com that Catholic politicians always forget the church and religion. In fact, they should be more active in their religious life as a leader to keep up with their stance based on their faith.

In a landmark trial, Leung’s predecessor Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, a fervent Catholic who proclaims innocence, is standing trial for alleged charges of accepting HK$3.35 million (US$432,000 ) worth of undisclosed benefits.

Raffael Hui, a Catholic and former Chief Secretary, was sentenced in 2014 to seven and a half years in jail on charges of bribery and misconduct in public office.

Lam also created a political storm when she returned from Beijing in late December and suddenly announcing the construction of an outpost of the Palace Museum in Hong Kong without public consultation or debate in the Legislature.

The designer she handpicked for the project is also reportedly connected to various unresolved scandals related to CY Leung.

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