DAB politician, TV personality dies, aged 56

Television star turned pro-Beijing politician David Lau Chi-wing has died after a long battle with heart disease.

Lau, of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, who was a Yau Tsim Mong district councillor, died at Queen Elizabeth Hospital on Thursday, aged 56. The cause of death was pneumonia.

DAB chairman Tam Yiu-chung said his death was a big loss for the party.

In November's district council election, Lau defeated four other candidates to win re-election in the Jordan East constituency.

Earlier last year, he hosted an election rally for Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, who was at the time seeking re-election in the chief executive election.

Chung Kong-mo, the chairman of Yau Tsim Mong District Council, said Lau had long suffered from health problems.