Would anyone claim to have taken part in the World Cup match between Argentina and South Korea at 7.30pm on June 17 just by watching the game on television?
Probably not. But for Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, who is to engage Civic Party leader Audrey Eu Yuet-mee in a televised debate one hour before the match, apparently watching is playing.
Tsang issued the challenge to Eu on Thursday on condition that members of the public would be excluded, so there would be no questions from the floor.
Yesterday, he brushed aside criticism that the reason behind the arrangement was his fear of losing face.
'The seven million people and viewers in Hong Kong can all participate,' Tsang said, when asked whether he was afraid of difficult questions from the public.
Tsang said he was glad Eu had accepted his challenge and that details would be finalised between his aides and Eu's side. The debate would be the first between a serving chief executive and a leader of the opposition on live television.
Tsang's closest match came during his campaign for a second term in 2007. In a televised debate, Tsang was heavily cornered by challenger Alan Leong Kah-kit, who drew wide applause after an emotional promise to fight for universal suffrage for an 80-year-old man.
