Public Eye | Outcry at C.Y. Leung shows it’s Hong Kong media ethics, not freedom, we should worry about
UGL is no Watergate, and wanting to impeach the chief executive when he only has a month left in office is pure grandstanding by the pan-democrats, says Michael Chugani
Let me ask this question of all opposition legislators: are you now or have you ever been bankrolled by media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying?
Actually, I have no intention of asking such an unethically loaded question. I pose it just to express disgust at an equally unethical question Commercial Radio’s morning talk show hosts suggested last week.
They discussed asking every establishment camp lawmaker investigating the UGL controversy if Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying had secretly approached them like he did with DAB legislator Holden Chow Ho-ding.
Such McCarthyism has no place in our politics
Such McCarthyism has no place in our politics. The hosts even tainted New People’s Party legislator Eunice Yung Hoi-yan as having possibly colluded with Leung.
When party chairwoman Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee told the hosts the next morning the allegation was baseless, they said they would temporarily believe her until they questioned Yung. Who appointed them judge and jury? If they have proof, show it. If not, shut up.
There’s much talk of an erosion of our media freedom. What’s eroding is our media ethics, not freedom. Every media organisation played up Leung’s secret contact with Chow to influence the inquiry. So much for our media freedom dying.