Will Long Hair make a good legislator?
Pulcheria Chung, 18 St Mary's Canossian College
No. When Long Hair (Leung Kwok-hung) took his oath in the Legislative Council recently, he was wearing his famous Che Guevara T-shirt. I think it was a disgrace. It was like wearing a swimsuit to a wedding ceremony. He is not suitable to be a legislator because he does not show respect to anyone.
He first made his name as a serial protester and there is little indication he will change his ways. Fellow legislators will find it difficult to work with Long Hair because he is ignorant and lacks patience.
If he is to succeed as a lawmaker, he should work within the system and be more aware of his words and actions.
There's another problem. He claims he is fighting for democracy, but he is also a Marxist.
Marxists advocate revolutions and adopt a one-party autocracy after a communist government is set up. So he is contradicting himself, hiding under the democratic cloak but having the mentality of a dictator.
His attitude scares me. I don't think he will make a good legislator because his presence could tarnish Legco's image. And his actions could even affect Hong Kong's stability and prosperity.
Oliver Kwan, 17 Delia School of Canada
I think Long Hair will do a fine job now that he has been elected to Legco.
I am a firm advocate of taking action rather than talking about the world's problems; after all, nothing has ever been achieved by complaining and doing nothing. The fact that Leung decided to run for Legco this year is not only a step in the right direction, but proves how dedicated he is to solving problems faced by the community.
Leung is well known for his rebellious, anti-Beijing rhetoric. If he can transfer the energy he has displayed in his protests into his new role as legislator, he will become a valuable asset to Hong Kong. Though Hong Kong is part of China, we do need to preserve our unique identity. Who would be better to champion that cause other than someone with the kind of dedicated fervour that Leung has?
And what a fervour he has. He's already pledged to spend more than 60 per cent of his salary on charities and organisations he believes in. In an age when politicians won't stand up for what is right because it isn't profitable, it's good to have someone like Leung.
At the end of the day, Legco needs people who are willing to take action about the causes they believe in. Hopefully, Leung is the first in a line of many who fit this description.
