It was probably the toughest birthday that Tsang Yok-sing has ever spent.
The Legislative Council president, who turned 65 yesterday, made an unprecedented decision to kill a filibuster after an all-night debate in the Legco chamber.
Tsang had approved the overnight meeting that started on Wednesday morning to debate a controversial bill on scrapping Legco by-elections.
Then it came to the attention of his fellow lawmakers - thanks to media reporters present - that the continuing debate would coincide with Tsang's birthday.
As the clock ticked towards midnight, Labour Party chairman Lee Cheuk-yan - who had joined the filibuster - raised a motion to suspend the debate. Tsang announced a short break so that he could consider Lee's request.
At the dining hall, to celebrate Tsang's birthday, staff of the Legco Secretariat gathered legislators from across the political spectrum and dozens of reporters who were staying overnight.