Radio commentator's murder dragged up in sponsorship row

The row over political sponsorship of radio broadcasts has escalated, with the leading Beijing-friendly party denying leftists were responsible for the death of political commentator Lam Bun in the 1967 riots.

The Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong says the media has reacted unfairly to news of its sponsorship deal with Commercial Radio.

Some commentators and pan-democrats have called the DAB's purchase of about 72 hours of air time an unhealthy political development - and disrespectful to the legacy of Lam Bun, an icon of free speech who was believed to have been murdered because of critical comments of the 1967 leftist rioters he made on Commercial Radio.

DAB lawmaker Chan Kam-lam yesterday urged the public not to scratch at old wounds.

'During the '67 riots, it was not just Lam Bun who died. There were very many ordinary citizens who, we don't know for what reason, died ... If we want to seek responsibility, how do we seek responsibility for that?'

He said leftists should not be blamed for Lam Bun's death.

'I don't know [who killed him], I have not investigated, and I was still young then. But you shouldn't take one person, and use it to represent the whole event [as to] who should take responsibility, or which group should take responsibility ... that's very unfair to the leftists,' Chan said.