C.Y. reprimanded for blaming Donald Tsang for popularity woes
Rita Fan and Chan Yuen-han say it's unfair for Leung Chun-ying to attribute his slump in popularity to the previous government
Political heavyweights Rita Fan Hsu Lai-tai and Chan Yuen-han have hit back at Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying's remark that problems from the previous administration led to his flagging popularity.
The pair hinted that having to deal with unresolved issues from one government to the next was no excuse for Leung; instead the problems should be seen as opportunities for him to prove his worth.
Leung laid the blame for his drop in support on his predecessor Donald Tsang Yam-kuen on Friday. "My administration is not playing a new game of chess, but a game that existed on June 30 [the day before Leung took office], a game that was already under way," Leung said.
Fan, a member of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, countered yesterday that Leung's remark might give the public an impression that he is trying to shirk responsibility.
"No new government takes office without playing the game of chess that was already under way," Fan said. "If the game that existed is not played well, it could be [the opportunity for the new player to] turn around and win." Fan also put a spin on the low popularity figures, saying it was an opportunity for government to win support.
Speaking separately, Chan Yuen-han, the honorary president of the Beijing-loyalist Federation of Trade Unions, endorsed Fan's view.