Pro-Beijing newspaper backs former chief editor Tsang Tak-sing after his ousting from Hong Kong cabinet
Pro-Beijing newspaper Ta Kung Pao has run a commentary backing former chief editor Tsang Tak-sing, who was ousted from his role as Hong Kong’s home affairs minister, saying he deserved recognition.
A pro-Beijing newspaper has run a commentary to back its former chief editor, who was this week ousted from his role as Hong Kong’s home affairs minister, saying he deserved recognition from the government on ”retiring” in a sudden political shake-up.
Former left-leaning journalist Tsang Tak-sing, who had served as Secretary for Home Affairs since 2007, was replaced on Tuesday in an unexpected move by Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying.
The commentary in the Chinese-language newspaper “in a way reflects the dissatisfaction of its editorial department with the handling of Tsang,” a source familiar with operations at the paper told the .
The piece detailed Tsang’s achievements since he became Secretary for Home Affairs eight years ago, noting he had promoted cultural exchange between mainland China and Hong Kong.
A source familiar with the cabinet reshuffle has said that Leung and Beijing were not happy with Tsang’s performance, blaming him for “inadequate” work among the city’s youth, a factor they think led to last year’s Occupy protests.
The commentary said: “Does youth work really just come under one bureau? Is Occupy Central merely a youth problem with no other forces behind it? Attacking Tsang Tak-sing with the Occupy issue is utterly simplistic.”
Those who thought this way were “either extremely narrow-minded and stubborn, or wanting to bring unwarranted charges against [Tsang],” it added.
The government should have recognised long-serving senior officials like Tsang “instead of mentioning them in passing, which cast a chill on people”, it said.
Tsang was replaced as home affairs minister by former Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau undersecretary Lau Kong-wah.
