AT LAST Tung Chee-hwa has made up his mind about Falun Gong. The chronically indecisive Chief Executive, who is famous in Government for delaying any firm decision for as long as possible, finally came out and unambiguously called the group an 'evil cult' when questioned by legislators on Thursday. His previous statements on the issue had been hedged with typical Tung ambiguities. In February, he said Falun Gong 'more or less' fitted the 'evil cult' label. And last month he called them 'a bit of a cult'.
So it was almost inevitable that Mr Tung's latest remarks would be widely interpreted as a deliberate effort to intensify pressure on the group to curtail its activities in Hong Kong. But the truth might be far simpler.
All the qualifications in his earlier remarks did not save him from being flailed worldwide for seeming to do China's bidding in attacking those who do nothing more harmful than breathing exercises.
But nor did they win him much credit in the eyes of some of Beijing's staunchest allies. 'Tung Chee-hwa's initial remarks on Falun Gong showed his ignorance and insensitivity,' complained Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference delegate Lau Nai-keung, in an article for the Post. 'After all, either Falun Gong is an 'evil cult' as asserted by the Chinese authorities, or it is not.'
He claimed the central Government found Mr Tung's earlier comments 'vague and evasive' and were unhappy an SAR Chief Executive seemed unable to make up his mind about a group which Beijing had so categorically denounced.
In other words, and not for the first time, Mr Tung's indecisiveness meant he had got the worst of both worlds. And by finally coming off the fence last Thursday, he has at least ensured that, from now on, he will only have to contend with criticism from one direction.
Although those who prefer to see the issue in more clear-cut terms may strongly disagree, it remains important to draw a distinction between rhetoric and action. Mr Tung's 'evil cult' remarks were certainly unsavoury and not befitting the head of an ostensibly free society such as the SAR. Recent tirades by 'Red' Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, the Falun Gong-hating Secretary for Security, fall even more firmly into this category.