Hong Kong reform vote walkout ‘like a failed soccer offside trap’, says lawmaker amid demands for apology

Two pro-Beijing lawmakers this morning urged their allies who led yesterday’s bungled walkout from the Hong Kong legislature during the vote on the government’s historic political reform package to apologise.

Pro-establishment lawmaker Wong Kwok-kin described the decision to leave the chamber moments before voting began as a “low level” glitch but admitted it had an impact on the camp’s image.

Wong, among 31 pro-government lawmakers who left the chamber, said his colleagues failed to tell all of them to join the walk out.

“It was like a failed offside trap in soccer. With some remaining on the back of the defence line, the trap broke down,” Wong told RTHK.

“Those who wanted us to leave had not communicated with us beforehand ... I didn’t know what was going on,” the Federation of Trade Unions lawmaker said. “It was a ‘low level’ glitch.”

Only eight lawmakers voted for the proposal yesterday after the majority of the pro-establishment camp left the chamber in the mistaken belief the ballot would be adjourned while they waited for rural kingpin Lau Wong-fat, who was stuck in traffic on his way to cast his vote.