Impeachment stunt highlights HK-China gap

Pro-democracy members of Hong Kong's legislature introduced a motion to charge the city's leader, Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, with serious breaches of law that could lead to his impeachment. They allege Leung misled them about illegal renovations to his mansion.

It's the first such attempt to impeach a Hong Kong leader since the former British colony came back under China's control in 1997. Leung survived a no-confidence vote in December.

The motion, which was being debated into the evening, was unlikely to pass because the 27 legislators are outnumbered by pro-Beijing representatives in the 70-seat Legislative Council. But it was an attempt to “show the deep mistrust against the chief executive,” who is suffering from a credibility crisis, said Ma Ngok, a political scientist at Chinese University of Hong Kong. Leung, whose approval rating has fallen to around 49 percent from a high of 56 percent, still has the support of China's communist leaders.

Leung has become a lightning rod for growing public discontent since taking office in July. Anger over a wide range of issues stems from the city's fraught relationship with mainland China.

On New Year's Day, tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets to call for Leung to step down and to press for full democracy. Beijing has pledged that Hong Kong residents can elect their leader by 2017 at the earliest though no roadmap has been laid out.

Leung took office in July after being handpicked for the city's top job by an elite group of mostly pro-Beijing tycoons. He won the job after taking advantage of a scandal involving a huge, unauthorized basement in his rival's home. But shortly before taking office, illegal additions were also discovered at Leung's home in the exclusive Victoria Peak neighborhood.

Leung has apologized and removed the structures, which included a trellis and a gate. He said some of them were put in before he bought the house.

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3 Comments

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January 10, 2013    nw@

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Hong Kongnese have more guts than Taiwanese, having organized an impeachment attempt. The people of Taiwan, on the other hand, could not even be bothered.

January 10, 2013    carltanong@

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nw@
Still remember "Million Voices Against Corruption" campaign began in August 2006 to force President Chen Shui-bian to resign? All shouted "Ah-Bian, step down! Ah-Bian, step down!" as million marched through downtown Taipei.

Still remember the.....
"Surround the City" protest.
"Surround the Island" protest.
"Besiege the Presidential Office" demonstration.

But corrupt (DPP) President Chen Shui-bian was saved by (DPP) Premier Su Tseng-chang, indicating that the government(under the DPP) "will not tolerate the protest".

Democracy of the DPP is just a masquerade to conceal their dictatorship against the will of the people.

Now in 113. The DPP chairman (the former premier) Su Tseng-chang will ignite the BIG FIRE and deceit the people for his own political gains with the MASK of FAKE Democracy that he will worn on that day.

Under the DPP, the Democracy are FAKE and Democracy is DEAD!

January 12, 2013    ddt@

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carltanong@ wrote:
nw@
Still remember "Million Voices Against Corruption" campaign began in August 2006 to force President Chen Shui-bian to resign? All shouted "Ah-Bian, step down! Ah-Bian, step down!" as million marched through downtown Taipei.

Still remember the.....
"Surround the City" protest.
"Surround the Island" protest.
"Besiege the Presidential Office" demonstration.

But corrupt (DPP) President Chen Shui-bian was saved by (DPP) Premier Su Tseng-chang, indicating that the government(under the DPP) "will not tolerate the protest".

Democracy of the DPP is just a masquerade to conceal their dictatorship against the will of the people.

Now in 113. The DPP chairman (the former premier) Su Tseng-chang will ignite the BIG FIRE and deceit the people for his own political gains with the MASK of FAKE Democracy that he will worn on that day.

Under the DPP, the Democracy are FAKE and Democracy is DEAD!

Gripes. Not even on point.

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