All around town, March 7, 2013
Former chief executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, who missed out on the annual session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in Beijing because he was not named a delegate, has a new hobby. The ex-civil servant, who came under fire for allegedly accepting favours from his tycoon friends, has started playing golf.
We don't know if he drinks tea, coffee or watches French movies like financial secretary John Tsang Chun-wah does as part of his supposedly "middle-class" lifestyle; but golf isn't typically a middle-class sport.
A source close to Beijing recently revealed that it was the central government that directed Donald Tsang to issue a statement earlier that he had declined the offer to join the CPPCC as he found it inappropriate to do so while investigations into graft claims against him were ongoing.
The move was aimed at quashing rumours that Beijing had dumped Tsang because of the graft scandal.
CPPCC delegate Liza Wang Ming-chun told local delegates in a panel discussion that the city's government should launch consultations on political reform immediately and listen to views from different parties.
Hongkongers were not used to tough approaches, she said.
Wang, who had in 2008 urged Beijing to offer home-return permits to pan-democrats,
said many conflicts in Hong Kong stemmed from political issues.
Her speech drew applause from some fellow delegates, who found her views more interesting than others which had focused on less juicy topics such as how to step up the CPPCC's united front works.
Meanwhile, in a rare encounter, failed chief executive candidate and CPPCC delegate Henry Tang Ying-yen met and shook hands with his rival, Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, at a reception on Tuesday night.
Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor's tough, fearless image has made her one of the city's most popular officials, yet she also has her weaknesses. As it turns out, Lam is afraid of riding a bicycle.
During a media reception at Lam's residence on The Peak last Thursday, the chief secretary was asked if she engaged in any exercises in her free time. In response, she said that she prefers badminton to cycling.
She explained that when she was sent to Cambridge University to study during her early days in the government, a car ran into her and broke her left leg when she was out cycling one day.
"The shadow still lingers," Lam said, adding that she was hospitalised for about a month, and had to undergo several sessions of follow-up treatment.
But the accident did not stop the aspiring Lam from shining during her time in Cambridge. When asked whether the accident affected her studies, Lam said, smiling: "I think I came first in class that year."
