Letters | After Hong Kong election losses, Carrie Lam has every reason to change course

Hongkongers have registered their discontent through the ballot, giving the government a legitimate reason to change course without being seen as conceding to protester demands. If Carrie Lam fails to do so, she condemns the city to chaos and mayhem

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Top members of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB), the city’s largest pro-establishment party, hold a press conference at their headquarters in North Point on November 25. Only 21 out of 181 DAB candidates emerged victorious at the previous day’s district council elections. Photo: Robert Ng

Published: 8:35am, 30 Nov 2019Updated: 8:35am, 30 Nov 2019

The pro-Beijing camp is reeling from massive losses in the district council elections, with the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong losing more than 100 seats. There is only one person to blame for this – Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor. Her political ineptitude, shown time and again, has resulted in the largest political crisis since Chinese President Xi Jinping took office.

Traditionally, when parties lose big in the elections, heads roll. What should have happened six months ago must happen now, under the legitimacy of the election results, rather than as a cave-in to protesters’ demands.

The election results show just how deep the discontent with Lam’s government is. If the government thinks it can maintain the peace leading up to the elections by sweeping things under the rug, it is wrong. It has the ability to change course legitimately; if it fails to do so or refuses to, Hong Kong will sink further into mayhem and chaos.

There are many things that can and should be done in the wake of the massive defeat suffered by pro-Beijing parties.

First off, Lam and all her top officials should go. Everyone involved in the making of this political disaster should be removed from their posts and replaced by an interim government that is willing to listen to the people. This is the only way to restore some trust in the government.

Second, the judiciary needs to clearly assert its independence. Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng Yeuk-wah is nowhere to be seen and the courts have come under fire from Beijing. If Hong Kong loses its judicial independence, the withdrawal of the extradition bill will ultimately be worthless.

.css-sioo19{color:#c79a00;}Letters | After Hong Kong election losses, Carrie Lam has every reason to change course

Letters | After Hong Kong election losses, Carrie Lam has every reason to change course