Sophie Choi Ka-ping, the wife of the missing book seller Lee Bo, rejected Ng’s apology. Photo: David Wong
Source:
https://scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1898456/hong-kong-lawmaker-ng-leung-sing-making-name-himself-all Comment
Hong Kong lawmaker Ng Leung-sing is making a name for himself – for all the wrong reasons
Legislator representing the financial sector made a fool of himself by accusing missing booksellers of cavorting with prostitutes in Shenzhen
Finance sector Legislator Ng Leung-sing attends the Legco meeting on second reading of the controversial Copyright (Amendment) Bill in Legco Chamber in Tamar. 06JAN16 SCMP/ Dickson Lee
People in finance may have been called “banksters” but they are at least supposed to be smart.
However, judging by the recent performance of Ng Leung-sing, the lawmaker who represents the financial sector, you have to wonder if this stereotypical image isn’t quite true – the bit about intelligence, that is. Even leaving aside the sheer indecency of the statement, what Ng said about the five missing booksellers was just dim.
He apologised yesterday, after sparking a public outcry, but insisted his theory, based on an online rumour, was no better or worse than any other theories about their disappearance.
Ng earlier told other legislators that Lee Bo, one of the missing, and his colleagues were smuggled out of Hong Kong to visit prostitutes but were caught by public security officers in the act.
Yesterday, after being roundly denounced by people across the entire political spectrum, he made an apology to Lee’s wife for causing her discomfort. But he added: “That is to let [people] know about a means of leaving Hong Kong – that is, the so-called ‘hair washing’ boat.”
He said he was merely trying to call attention to the speculative nature of many theories about what had happened to the five men, including the possibility that one or more of them had been captured in Hong Kong and secretly shipped across the border to Shenzhen.
Say no more, Mr Ng, we understand perfectly now.
The lawmaker seems to be a man who speaks his mind without first processing what he is about to say.
In October, when officials were investigating lead contamination in the water supply at several public housing estates and schools, Ng asked whether lead could be good for people’s health.
“Is there evidence suggesting that consuming water with an appropriate level of lead can strengthen one’s health and extend life?” he asked.
He speculated whether the rising longevity of Hong Kong people might have something to do with the widespread presence of lead in water.
Ng probably lives in a luxury estate where the water pipes are lead-free. That’s unfortunate.
Perhaps Ng should introduce lead into drinking water to his home over an extended period of time so he can test his theory that the substance may make people live longer.