Hong Kong leader says sorry as protesters insist she quits
HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong’s leader Carrie Lam apologized to its people on Sunday as an estimated 1 million-plus black-clad protesters insisted that she resign over her handling of a bill that would allow citizens to be sent to mainland China for trial.
Organizers said almost 2 million turned out on Sunday to demand that chief executive Lam step down in what is becoming the most significant challenge to China’s relationship with the territory since it was handed back by Britain 22 years ago.
Sunday’s demonstration came in spite of Lam indefinitely delaying - though not withdrawing - the bill on Saturday in a dramatic climbdown that threw into question her ability to continue to lead the city.
On Sunday, she apologized for the way the government had handled the draft law, which had been scheduled for debate last Wednesday, but gave no further insight into its fate.
Organizers pressed ahead with the protest to demand the bill’s full withdrawal, as well as to mark their anger at the way police handled a demonstration against it on Wednesday, when more than 70 people were injured by rubber bullets and tear gas.
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam’s “sincere” apology wasn’t sincere enough
Facing the people.
In her third press conference in nine days during what has been the most tumultuous period of her time in office, Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam today (June 18) acknowledged the controversies and anxieties that the extradition bill has caused, conceded that she has to “personally shoulder much of the responsibility,” and offered her “most sincere apology to all people of Hong Kong.”
Still, she repeatedly refused to completely withdraw the hated bill—which would allow Hong Kong to send suspects to mainland China once it becomes law—a major and as yet unmet demand from protesters. However, she pledged that the legislative process for the bill would not resume unless “anxieties and fears” over the bill can be resolved.
Of the five main requests demanded by protesters—the bill’s withdrawal; Lam’s resignation; an investigation into police violence against protesters; retracting the designation of the protest as a “riot,” and an assurance that no protesters will face criminal charges—Lam delivered on one when she stood by the police commissioner’s decision yesterday (June 17) to retract the designation of the protest as a riot. However, those who are accused of attacking the police with bricks and metal poles will still be charged for rioting.
A change in tone
Her statements mark a dramatic change in tone since June 10, when Lam effectively ignored the calls of an estimated 1 million demonstrators who had taken to the streets the day before to protest a hated extradition bill that would allow Hong Kong to send suspects to mainland China to face trial. “There is very little merit to be gained to delay the bill,” she said. “Hong Kong has to move on.”
That evening, local broadcaster TVB aired a pre-recorded interview with Lam, who once again came across as aloof and arrogant. In comments that were later widely ridiculed, she compared accepting protesters’ demands to withdraw the extradition bill to a mother giving in to her spoiled children’s demands. Lam’s paternalistic attitude only served to further inflame the public.
Still, Lam refused to budge. It wasn’t until until Saturday (June 15) that she again addressed the press and changed course slightly, saying she would indefinitely suspend—but not withdraw—the controversial bill. The concession was unlikely to have satisfied protesters’ demands to have the law scrapped altogether, but it was her other comments during the 75-minute press conference that infuriated the public. Her refusal to condemn or apologize for the police force’s aggressive tactics, and her insistence that protesters were violent rioters, disappointed many. She also stood by the police’s description of Wednesday’s protests as a “riot,” which carries much heavier jail terms than those for lesser charges.
On Sunday (June 16), an estimated 2 million people returned to the streets to vent their anger, marking the eighth consecutive day of protests of varying sizes. Protesters again demanded that the extradition law be completely withdrawn, for the characterisation of the protests as a riot to be retracted, and for Lam to resign. That evening, Lam apologized through a statement written in third person issued by the government. But again, she said nothing of the protesters’ other demands.
Joshua Wong just got released from prison itching to go back in again?
Wong called on protesters to encircle police headquarters in the nearby Wan Chai area, leading protesters to begin moving in that direction.
Protesters had blocked several lanes of Harcourt Road, a main thoroughfare through the city’s financial center, snarling traffic. At one point, some protesters outside the government headquarters formed a line of open umbrellas on the ground. People used umbrellas to protect themselves from pepper spray fired by police last week, and in mass pro-democracy demonstrations five years ago that became known as the “Umbrella Movement.”
The government temporarily closed the Central Government Offices and canceled a meeting of the Legislative Council’s transport panel. There was a very light police presence in the area.
Li Ka-shing warns Hong Kong is a 'spoilt child' set on a dangerous path!!!!!!!
Asia's richest man, Li Ka-shing, has warned that Hong Kong is like "a spoilt child" and said the city was headed down a dangerous path of populism.
If the trend was not stopped, the city would have gone "totally wrong" in as little as five years.
In his second interview with a major mainland news outlet since November, Li advised the city's government to invest more in innovation and technology to improve competitiveness, and not to focus solely on poverty relief.
The chairman of Cheung Kong (Holdings) and Hutchison Whampoa, who is ranked 20th in Forbes magazine's list of the world's super-rich this year, told online news service Caixin.com: "My family was poor and there was a time when we were left completely destitute. I will never forget that. I very much understand what it is like when you need to worry about making ends meet every day.
"And it is also natural that such a situation gives rise to populism. But the important point is that society should find ways to resolve problems and not get stuck in a state of anger."
He said Singapore had been outpacing Hong Kong in recent years - without the advantage of having mainland China as its hinterland."Singapore is congenitally deficient while Hong Kong is a spoilt child. Populism is rising in Hong Kong, and if this goes on, the city would look totally wrong in five to six years."
He blamed politicians for the rise of populism, criticising them for taking advantage of social problems as a "platform to get votes and power".
Li’s heart is in TeochewLand, even though he made most of his wealth from CuntoLand. Essentially, Li is an outsider like what Robert Kuok said of himself in his biography.
As long as you have paid your taxes, you are deemed to have done your part for society. It is the job of the government to make good use of taxpayers’ money. The more important role is that of the electorate - to hold the government accountable for the proper use of taxpayers’ money. In a system where every idiot can cast a vote, this is doomed to flounder - just take a look at PAP’s SinkaPoor and Trump’s America; if each and every Hongkie were accorded a right to vote at the polls regardless of how clever or retarded he/she is, then nothing ever changes. The masses do not even know what is good for themselves, how would they know what is good for the country as a whole?
If only them Hongkies had been sufficiently sensible to call it quits after staging the mass protests; by trashing the Legco building they have certainly taken things too far.
Hong Kong leader says sorry as protesters insist she quits
HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong’s leader Carrie Lam apologized to its people on Sunday as an estimated 1 million-plus black-clad protesters insisted that she resign over her handling of a bill that would allow citizens to be sent to mainland China for trial.
Organizers said almost 2 million turned out on Sunday to demand that chief executive Lam step down in what is becoming the most significant challenge to China’s relationship with the territory since it was handed back by Britain 22 years ago.
Sunday’s demonstration came in spite of Lam indefinitely delaying - though not withdrawing - the bill on Saturday in a dramatic climbdown that threw into question her ability to continue to lead the city.
On Sunday, she apologized for the way the government had handled the draft law, which had been scheduled for debate last Wednesday, but gave no further insight into its fate.
Organizers pressed ahead with the protest to demand the bill’s full withdrawal, as well as to mark their anger at the way police handled a demonstration against it on Wednesday, when more than 70 people were injured by rubber bullets and tear gas.
More at https://www.reuters.com/article/us-hongkong-extradition/hong-kong-leader-says-sorry-as-protesters-insist-she-quits-idUSKCN1TH00P
Simply say SOR-LEE and let's move on? I wonder who she learnt this abominable political manoeuvre from.
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam’s “sincere” apology wasn’t sincere enough
Facing the people.
In her third press conference in nine days during what has been the most tumultuous period of her time in office, Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam today (June 18) acknowledged the controversies and anxieties that the extradition bill has caused, conceded that she has to “personally shoulder much of the responsibility,” and offered her “most sincere apology to all people of Hong Kong.”
Still, she repeatedly refused to completely withdraw the hated bill—which would allow Hong Kong to send suspects to mainland China once it becomes law—a major and as yet unmet demand from protesters. However, she pledged that the legislative process for the bill would not resume unless “anxieties and fears” over the bill can be resolved.
Of the five main requests demanded by protesters—the bill’s withdrawal; Lam’s resignation; an investigation into police violence against protesters; retracting the designation of the protest as a “riot,” and an assurance that no protesters will face criminal charges—Lam delivered on one when she stood by the police commissioner’s decision yesterday (June 17) to retract the designation of the protest as a riot. However, those who are accused of attacking the police with bricks and metal poles will still be charged for rioting.
A change in tone
Her statements mark a dramatic change in tone since June 10, when Lam effectively ignored the calls of an estimated 1 million demonstrators who had taken to the streets the day before to protest a hated extradition bill that would allow Hong Kong to send suspects to mainland China to face trial. “There is very little merit to be gained to delay the bill,” she said. “Hong Kong has to move on.”
Lam’s decision to defiantly press ahead with the law brought popular anger to a boiling point, and by Wednesday (June 12) last week, tens of thousands had occupied major roads in the city as they demanded the bill to be withdrawn. The protests turned violent as police fired rubber bullets and tear gas at the largely peaceful demonstrators, engulfing Hong Kong in its worst political upheaval in years. Many accused the police of using excessive force, including against journalists.
That evening, local broadcaster TVB aired a pre-recorded interview with Lam, who once again came across as aloof and arrogant. In comments that were later widely ridiculed, she compared accepting protesters’ demands to withdraw the extradition bill to a mother giving in to her spoiled children’s demands. Lam’s paternalistic attitude only served to further inflame the public.
Still, Lam refused to budge. It wasn’t until until Saturday (June 15) that she again addressed the press and changed course slightly, saying she would indefinitely suspend—but not withdraw—the controversial bill. The concession was unlikely to have satisfied protesters’ demands to have the law scrapped altogether, but it was her other comments during the 75-minute press conference that infuriated the public. Her refusal to condemn or apologize for the police force’s aggressive tactics, and her insistence that protesters were violent rioters, disappointed many. She also stood by the police’s description of Wednesday’s protests as a “riot,” which carries much heavier jail terms than those for lesser charges.
On Sunday (June 16), an estimated 2 million people returned to the streets to vent their anger, marking the eighth consecutive day of protests of varying sizes. Protesters again demanded that the extradition law be completely withdrawn, for the characterisation of the protests as a riot to be retracted, and for Lam to resign. That evening, Lam apologized through a statement written in third person issued by the government. But again, she said nothing of the protesters’ other demands.
Full story at https://qz.com/1646660/extradition-law-hong-kong-chief-carrie-lam-apologizes-again/
Joshua Wong just got released from prison itching to go back in again?
Protesters had blocked several lanes of Harcourt Road, a main thoroughfare through the city’s financial center, snarling traffic. At one point, some protesters outside the government headquarters formed a line of open umbrellas on the ground. People used umbrellas to protect themselves from pepper spray fired by police last week, and in mass pro-democracy demonstrations five years ago that became known as the “Umbrella Movement.”
The government temporarily closed the Central Government Offices and canceled a meeting of the Legislative Council’s transport panel. There was a very light police presence in the area.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-06-20/hong-kong-government-closes-headquarters-as-protesters-gather
Gotta hand it to this lad. He's got more balls than 69.9% of Sinkies combined.
Li Ka-shing warns Hong Kong is a 'spoilt child' set on a dangerous path!!!!!!!
If the trend was not stopped, the city would have gone "totally wrong" in as little as five years.
In his second interview with a major mainland news outlet since November, Li advised the city's government to invest more in innovation and technology to improve competitiveness, and not to focus solely on poverty relief.
The chairman of Cheung Kong (Holdings) and Hutchison Whampoa, who is ranked 20th in Forbes magazine's list of the world's super-rich this year, told online news service Caixin.com: "My family was poor and there was a time when we were left completely destitute. I will never forget that. I very much understand what it is like when you need to worry about making ends meet every day.
"And it is also natural that such a situation gives rise to populism. But the important point is that society should find ways to resolve problems and not get stuck in a state of anger."
He said Singapore had been outpacing Hong Kong in recent years - without the advantage of having mainland China as its hinterland."Singapore is congenitally deficient while Hong Kong is a spoilt child. Populism is rising in Hong Kong, and if this goes on, the city would look totally wrong in five to six years."
He blamed politicians for the rise of populism, criticising them for taking advantage of social problems as a "platform to get votes and power".
More at https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1442186/li-ka-shing-warns-hong-kong-spoilt-child-set-dangerous-path
Li’s heart is in TeochewLand, even though he made most of his wealth from CuntoLand. Essentially, Li is an outsider like what Robert Kuok said of himself in his biography.
As long as you have paid your taxes, you are deemed to have done your part for society. It is the job of the government to make good use of taxpayers’ money. The more important role is that of the electorate - to hold the government accountable for the proper use of taxpayers’ money. In a system where every idiot can cast a vote, this is doomed to flounder - just take a look at PAP’s SinkaPoor and Trump’s America; if each and every Hongkie were accorded a right to vote at the polls regardless of how clever or retarded he/she is, then nothing ever changes. The masses do not even know what is good for themselves, how would they know what is good for the country as a whole?
Latest: PLA troops have moved into Hong Kong.
Tiananmen part 2 happening soon??????
If only them Hongkies had been sufficiently sensible to call it quits after staging the mass protests; by trashing the Legco building they have certainly taken things too far.
This time it's probably war.