Political Animal
So, why the sudden change of style? Chief delivers his cool response
The chief executive's visit to his campaign office on Monday not surprisingly drew comment on his choice of attire and any political message behind it. Gone was the trademark bow tie - Donald Tsang Yam-kuen opting, instead, for a jacket with mandarin-style collar, and pocket handkerchief,
One pro-government Chinese-language daily quoted sources as saying Mr Tsang's attire was aimed at highlighting something his rival, Alan Leong Kah-kit, was lacking - the Chinese factor, or more accurately, a good relationship with the central authorities. But Mr Tsang said the next day that he had worn the jacket as he had felt cold in the morning and needed something to cover up in. The suit was five years old, while he had been wearing pocket handkerchiefs for 30 years, he said.
Failing to find a follower
Donald Tsang's decision to change his sartorial approach did not sit well with long-time Beijing loyalist Ma Lik. The chairman of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong said: 'Actually, I won't call it a Zhongshan suit. It was only a piece of fashion - more like an Indian-style suit. A real Zhongshan suit has a folded-down collar.' But all this didn't matter in the final analysis, he said, as in his opinion the change of apparel had not hurt Hong Kong's international image, as would have been the case if the wearer had been wandering around naked.
Reporter left singing the wrong line
His boss' choice of attire proved too hot to handle for one of Donald Tsang's cabinet members as the political climate heated up yesterday. Known for favouring open-collared shirts, Secretary for Economic Development and Labour Stephen Ip Shu-kwan should not have been surprised when he was peppered with fashion-related, politically-loaded questions about Mr Tsang by reporters.
One asked: 'Do you think he [Mr Tsang] looks better wearing it than you do.' Mr Ip replied: 'Why don't you ask me about things I will talk about, like [Taiwanese songstress] Choi Kam.' The subject promptly changed as he sang the praises of Choi's performance at a concert on Tuesday night.
Rising star shines in the districts
The doubters may have dismissed Gary Chan Hak-kan, the young DAB member appointed to the Chief Executive's Office as special assistant as being just another piece in the game of political chess between the party and government, performing no meaningful task. But a source close to the leader's office was anxious to point out that more ministers were paying district visits nowadays. Credit should go, he said, to the young star from the DAB who was a Sha Tin District Council member and had helped to lay the groundwork.
