Why did Beijing stir the pot and spook Hongkongers?
So why did he do it?
Was he using last Saturday's seminar marking the 25th anniversary of the Basic Law to simply remind everyone how our mini-constitution works? Or was it an in-your-face message to pan-democrats that Beijing has clenched its fist ahead of the Occupy uprising's first anniversary?
Critics rushed to put Zhang through the meat-grinder for elevating Leung Chun-ying to emperor status. Only numbskulls would think he was solely responsible for his speech. Sensitive speeches that stir the pot are always passed up the chain for clearance.
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But why antagonise the democracy camp by asserting Leung is above the three branches of government?
And why spook the people ahead of elections by declaring there is no separation of powers, which gives the impression there is no judicial independence?
Is it that Beijing still doesn't understand how Hongkongers think after 18 years in charge, or does it work in mysterious ways Hongkongers can't understand?
The way Zhang Xiaoming told it, Beijing lords over C.Y. Leung and he lords over Hong Kong's executive, legislature, and judiciary.
But he couldn't even get legislative approval to fund a technology bureau.
The truth is the chief executive governs with one hand tied behind his back.
If he was above the judiciary, he could have jailed Occupy protesters without trial.
As for the chief executive being above the law, go ask Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, who faced a corruption probe while he was still Hong Kong's leader.
Separation of powers? Genuine democracy?
Forget it.
That was the message Singaporeans sent when they overwhelmingly re-elected Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his People's Action Party.
READ MORE: Will Singapore ever be ready for a non-Chinese leader? Question looms as ethnic Tamil deputy PM shines
The opposition promised greater openness, a fairer society, and improved livelihood but was still crushed. Singapore has far less democracy than Hong Kong but has streaked ahead of us in global competition. Why?
