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Former talk-show host Albert Cheng King-hon called him a mirage, but  'Long Hair' Leung Kwok-hung has become highly visible since his election to the Legislative Council a fortnight ago.

He hit the headlines when he declined to shake hands with  Tung Chee-hwa in their first encounter eight days ago  and asked the chief executive to  step down.

One day later, he was locked in a sharp verbal exchange  with  angry onlookers at the City Forum in  Victoria Park.

Last Friday, he  gave the Legislative Council Secretariat his own version of the oath  he is prepared to take when  Legco  is sworn in on October 6.

On top of the Basic Law provisions on the oath of allegiance, Mr Leung has insisted on including in his statement   references to Chinese people, Hong Kong residents and the fight for democracy and justice, and the upholding of civil rights and liberties.

Article 104 says legislators must  swear to uphold the Basic Law and swear allegiance to the special administrative region.

A senior Hong Kong-based mainland official has warned Mr Leung could lose his seat if he  does not comply with the oath. A legal expert has  doubted  the legality of  disqualifying Mr Leung  should   his  oath deviate from the relevant provisions.

Mr Leung's move has drawn  comment in radio phone-ins. To some,  he is a troublemaker. Others  urge him not to insist  needlessly on  the oath issue.

Mr Leung's proposal originated from a pledge he made in his election campaign that he would not swear allegiance to the Basic Law because it was undemocratic.

Soon after he was elected on  September 12, he  said he would reconsider.  His conciliatory  tone was interpreted as sign of compromise  to smooth his imminent entry  to the political establishment.

If anything, however, his insistence on amending the wording of the oath shows he is not prepared to compromise his rebellious character and style in his new capacity. His fellow legislator-elect  Mr Cheng  observes the support for Mr Leung came from protest votes.

'People have no confidence. They found no one they could turn to. That someone [Leung] came out like a hero shows people have no confidence with the democrats ... Therefore, Long Hair is a mirage,' he said.

Detailed examination of  the New Territories East geographical constituency election  results clearly shows that Mr Leung's supporters  came from a cross-section of society, ranging from low-income earners in subsidised housing to middle-class people in luxurious residential complexes.

They feel disappointed with the complacency and the lack of vigour  of the traditional pro-democracy parties. They see Mr Leung as an independent, sensible alternative voice  to help bring new ideas  to the political arena.

The controversy over the Legco oath is indicative of  the conflict Mr Leung is facing between  staying true to himself and sticking to  the rules of the game.

Should he insist on his oath, he may lose the seat he earned with a mandate from 60,925 voters. Should he stick to the official oath, he could be seen by cynics as surrendering and compromising.

Mr Leung has admitted the election victory  surprised him. Ostensibly, he had not given serious thought to the issue of the oath and its full implications.

The dilemma  is a foretaste of  his  predicament,  having chosen to be a champion of change  from within the system rather than a mere symbol of rebellion, or the mirage  Mr Cheng has  described.

This will require  clear thinking about his  objectives and real-life political constraints. He will have to decide what concessions he can afford and is prepared to make for bigger gains from fighting battles in the Legco chamber instead of on the streets.

Long Hair must decide the battle he can afford to lose for the war he is determined to win.



Long Hair faces battle if he is to win the war