Allen Lee (left) and Chung Sze-yuen (right) are seen in public with Martin Lee (center) in 2013. Chung has been keeping an eye on the pro-democracy campaign. Photo: HKEJ
PLA likely to step in, CY’s fate up to Beijing, says Chung
Retired political heavyweight Chung Sze-yuen is worried the pro-democracy protest could get out of control and thinks it is likely that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) would eventually step in.
His thoughts were conveyed by commentator Allen Lee Peng-fei, am730 reported Tuesday.
As for Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, whether he goes or stays is not up to the public but will be decided only by the Beijing government, Lee quoted the 97-year-old Chung as saying.
Lee told the newspaper that Chung has been keeping an eye on the pro-democracy campaign and was shocked to see the police use tear gas and pepper spray on demonstrators.
In a telephone conversation with Lee on Monday, Chung questioned the government’s decision to send riot police to suppress students and citizens who were just staging a sit-in, treating them like terrorists.
Chung is rarely seen in public in recent years but he is still concerned about Hong Kong’s future. He and his protege Lee have been discussing politics regularly over meals each Tuesday.
Chung was the senior unofficial member of the Legislative Council and Executive Council in 1980, the highest-ranking Chinese politician under British rule at that time.
When Tung Chee-hwa became chief executive in 1997, Chung was appointed as the convenor of the Executive Council and served until he retired in 1999. He was appointed in 1982 as a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.
When the anti-British riot broke out in Hong Kong in 1967, Chung was chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Industries. He called it the worst public riot in the city’s history.
Chung now is concerned about how the Hong Kong government will continue to govern having lost the people’s trust and with the administration basically paralyzed even if Leung were to resign.
Lee said no one can tell how the chaos would end but he hopes there will be no bloodshed.
– Contact us at english@hkej.com
TL/AC/JL
Related:
Hong Kong people’s trust in police takes time to mend: Chan
Is this the same CY who denied backing a crackdown on marchers?
http://www.ejinsight.com/20140930-pla-likely-to-step-in-cys-fate-up-to-beijing/
