Will pan-democrats’ scare tactics and threats still work as Carrie Lam makes her mark?

Andrew Fung calls on moderate pan-democrats to review their strategy amid waning support and confidence in their camp, as they face a more capable Beijing and a Hong Kong administration presenting a smarter, more pragmatic image

Reading Time:4 minutes

Pan-democrat leaders should realise they are now dealing with an increasingly capable and confident central government, as well as a seemingly smart and efficient administration under Carrie Lam. Illustration: Craig Stephens

Published: 4:43pm, 16 Aug 2017Updated: 7:12pm, 16 Aug 2017

Following the recent disqualification of four of their own from the Legislative Council, the pan-democrat camp laid out conditions for making peace. They threatened that unless the government was determined to “untie the knots”, relations would not be normal, and it could not be business as usual in Legco.

When news leaked last month that Christine Choi Yuk-lin, from the “pro-Beijing” Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers, would be appointed undersecretary for education, the pan-democrats accused the government of “starting a war”, and tried unsuccessfully to organise opposition to block the appointment.

After the government’s joint checkpoint plan for the West Kowloon terminus was announced, pan-democrat leaders raised exaggerated fears that the arrangement might set a precedent for applying mainland legal jurisdiction over the venue of a future demonstration event, like Occupy Central, and that Hong Kong people might be afraid of being arrested by mainland law enforcers if they went near the terminus.

Christine Choi survived the ‘red scare’– but what about Hong Kong?

No doubt, there is a general mistrust and dislike of the central government among pan-democrat supporters and many young people in Hong Kong. Tactics to spread fear and make threats are commonly used by political parties all over the world. But the local political situation is changing.

After the turmoil of the past five years under the Leung Chun-ying administration, there is now a prevalent wish and expectation among the people for society to get back to normal and for peace to resume.

The former “militant” chief executive is gone and the radical political forces are greatly weakened, and have even dissipated after successive disqualifications, court cases and jailings.

There is also a general sense of frustration and bewilderment, as well as a lack of direction, among strong supporters of the opposition parties. The people have not “risen up” as expected. Only a small number joined recent demonstrations, and very few have showed up outside the courts or police stations to support radicals facing trial and Occupy leaders facing prosecution.

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Will pan-democrats’ scare tactics and threats still work as Carrie Lam makes her mark?

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;}Christine Choi survived the ‘red scare’– but what about Hong Kong?

Christine Choi survived the ‘red scare’– but what about Hong Kong?