My Take | Li Ka-shing’s remark about increasing tax is a bit rich

It’s always fun to watch the good and the great in local politics slug it out among themselves. The latest round came after tycoon Li Ka-shing suggested Hong Kong should increase corporate tax to ease the widening wealth gap and rising social tensions.

Writing in the Post, Albert Cheng, probably the city’s best-known commentator, described Li’s idea as “noble” and castigated the Liberal Party’s opposition as defending narrow corporate interests and neglecting the poor and grass roots.

The party is among business groups that have come out against Li’s apparently off-the-cuff remark. An angry James Tien Pei-chun, its honorary chair, fought back in the Economic Journal. “The Liberal Party,” Tien wrote, “has been a champion of the underprivileged and the working poor since its founding.”

He just thinks the government’s overflowing coffers can pay for extra social programmes without having to squeeze more out of the private sector.

Of course, Cheng never has a bad word to say about his hero Li; and Tien goes out of his way to pay tributes to “Superman”.