Leading industrialist Stanley Lau Chin-ho dies of heart attack aged 66
Stanley Lau Chin-ho, one of the city’s most prominent industrialists, has died of a heart attack. He was 66.
Lau, an honorary president of the Federation of Hong Kong Industries, passed away at Kwong Wah Hospital in Yau Ma Tei on Sunday morning.
He recently told the Post that he was in good health and ran every morning before work – even participating in the occasional marathon.
Lau’s two sons, Gary Lau Sun-tao and Ronald Lau Sun-ting, said their father died in his sleep with their mother and family members by his bedside.
Lau, the federation’s former chairman and the current Productivity Council chairman, was due to appear on the RTHK programme City Forum on Sunday to discuss Hong Kong’s MPF system and retirement protection issues.
He had received intense criticism in recent years for voicing the concerns of the industrial and business communities over issues such as standard working hours
Federation chairman Professor Daniel Cheng Man-chung called Lau's death a sad loss to Hong Kong and the local industry.
“Mr Lau had made invaluable contribution to the FHKI, the Hong Kong industry as well Hong Kong's economic and social development as a whole. He is an outstanding industrial leader and our dearest friend," Cheng said.
Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor praised Lau as an “outstanding industrialist” and being “passionate for Hong Kong”.
She expressed condolences to his wife and sons, and said it was “totally unfair” to criticise Lau for giving his views to the government.
“I’m shocked and saddened by the sudden news,” said Lam. “All those who know him will sorely miss him.”
Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, who was out of the city on holiday, also expressed his sadness and condolences.
Lau, who was also an employees’ representative on the Standard Working Hours Committee, attended the committee’s first community consultation meeting on Saturday in Tai Po. Only about 30 citizens attended the consultation, and Lau had a wig thrown at him by a protestor.
Lawmaker Leung Yiu-chung, of the Neighbourhood and Workers Services Centre, said: “Although we had different stances [over the standard working hours issue], we felt shocked and sad at [Lau’s] sudden passing away.”
Lau had previously openly opposed legislation on minimum wage and standard working hours.
Standard Working Hours Committee member Leung Chau-ting said that while he and Lau never saw eye to eye, the industrialist was a “straight talking” man who was “easy to get along with”.
“He stood for industry and we stood for the labour sector. On camera, we were at loggerheads. But after meetings we were still friends,” Leung said. “He was a person who was very easy to get along with.
“He was very upfront with everything, very frank and never beating around the bush. He would tell us very straight up that certain issues would have an impact on industry. “
A watch manufacturer by trade, Lau was a member of the Sichuan Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.
He was awarded the Young Industrialist Award in 1994 and had a long record of public and community service in industry and labour circles.
He also received a bronze Bauhinia Star in 2009 and a silver one in 2014.
He was chairman of the Vetting Committee of the General Support Programme under the Innovation and Technology Fund, and a member of the Economic Development Commission, Hong Kong Trade Development Council and the Labour Advisory Board, among other public roles.
