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Shirley Zhao

She may be a beauty queen with a Cambridge law degree who expressed interest in being a political leader, but one dream is too big for Louisa Mak Ming-sze – moving out of her family home.
“If I wanted to move out of my parents’ home, I would have a lot of issues financially,” the new Miss Hong Kong said in an exclusive interview with the South China Morning Post.
“I do feel strongly about it because a lot of my friends recently graduated, got jobs and want some freedom from their parents and are unable to get anywhere to sleep.”
The 23-year-old said the city’s soaring property prices had left young people unable to chase their true vocations and instead chasing high-paying jobs in sectors like finance and medicine.
“If you don’t even have a place to sleep, how can you talk about dreams and aspirations?”
WATCH: Miss Hong Kong Louisa Mak said she would definitely want housing to be affordable if she were the Chief Executive

And Mak – who, after achieving top grades in her school exams in 2009 told the media that she was interested in becoming a politician – said tackling the problem would mean taking on vested interests, including homeowners as well as big business.
“That’s why us Hong Kong people have to be united … and try to think how we can go forward with the interests of the bigger society in mind. No one wants the price of their own house to go down. But we must realise that this is a very immediate issue. It’s affecting a lot of the younger generation.”
But Mak also sees a need for the city to strengthen its legal and social systems to prevent “the tyranny of the majority” as it moves towards democracy. She said comments by Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying during last year’s Occupy protests – that poor people would dominate in a full democracy – were not a “novel idea”.
“When the majority can decide everything, then there may be unjust results,” she said. “People like to quote the Nazi regime, though it’s a bit confusing because whether they were the majority is still debatable … But I do take the point that democracy in itself is not enough, because when the majority can make decisions, then they can suppress those in the minority. That’s why we need protection from the legal system.”
She said there was still a lot of discrimination in Hong Kong’s legal system and society, which needed to be improved through education and other means.
“It’s always time [for Hong Kong to have democracy], but whether it’s feasible is another issue,” she said.
She would not comment on whether it was feasible, saying instead: “We are trying to [realise democracy]. That’s what we are all aiming for at the moment.” 


'Without a place to sleep, how can you dream?' Miss Hong Kong Louisa Mak says young people need affordable housing

Miss Hong Kong of 2015 Louisa Mak Ming-sze. Photo: Franke Tsang

'What's wrong with having a standard for beauty?' Miss Hong Kong Louisa Mak defends 'degrading' pageants

Louisa Mak had designs on a career in politics, but is now not so sure. Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

Louisa Mak is crowned Miss Hong Kong. Photo: Felix Wong

Miss Hong Kong 2015 Louisa Mak posed for a photo. Photo: Franke Tsang 

Louisa Mak Ming-sze (left) got 10As in 2009's HKCEE. Photo: David Wong

Cambridge law graduate Louisa Mak crowned Miss Hong Kong 2015 (and she wants to be city leader)

From left: first runner-up Ada Pong, champion Louisa Mak and second runner-up Karmen Kwok in the 2015 Miss Hong Kong pageant. Photo: Felix Wong

Louisa Mak Ming-sze receives her crown and sceptre. Photo: Felix Wong

Louisa Mak Ming-sze celebrates her pageant victory. Photo: Felix Wong

Priced out of Hong Kong: first-time property buyers look abroad snapping up deals in Tokyo and Melbourne

An artist's impression of proposed residential development in Richmond, Melbourne.