OpinionLegco election is over, but not the political sniping
Michael Chugani says the election may be over but Leung can expect little let-up from critics if his performance continues to disappoint
How long has it been since Leung Chun-ying formally became our leader? Exactly 72 days. Political honeymoons are supposed to last 100 days. Leung wasn't expecting a honeymoon, but neither was he expecting such a pummelling so soon after taking office.
His backers have blamed politicians for stirring up issues such as national education to win votes in yesterday's Legislative Council election. They claimed the dust would quickly settle after the elections and the government could finally begin governing.
Well, the elections are over, and Leung has finally done a U-turn on national education. Will politicians give him his 100 days of harmony? Believe that only if you believe former justice secretary Elsie Leung Oi-sie's ludicrous notion that the hunger strike and protest against national education outside the government headquarters amounted to anarchy.
It is people like her who love to preach political harmony yet smear as troublemakers those who express opposing opinions. How does it help harmony when peaceful protesters are labelled anarchists? Is it anarchy when law-abiding students and parents fast to protest against something they genuinely oppose?
The protesters were not seeking a lawless Hong Kong. They were not even challenging the government's authority. They just wanted the government to withdraw an unpopular policy. They only exercised their democratic right to protest peacefully when the government refused. Maybe Elsie Leung is confusing democracy with anarchy.
Sure, there's always mileage in attacking the government during elections. That's politics. But anti-national education protesters had not played into Legco candidates' hands; they even booed some who showed up at the protest.