Pro-establishment groups in Hong Kong begin moves to have phone-snatch lawmaker Ted Hui sacked

Party leaders begin censure motion process as unions condemn ‘very barbaric’ act that shocked Legco

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Hui has apologised several times for his behaviour. Photo: Nora Tam

Published: 7:00pm, 27 Apr 2018Updated: 11:48pm, 27 Apr 2018

Pro-establishment party leaders joined forces on Friday in an attempt to have Democratic Party lawmaker Ted Hui Chi-fung kicked out of the Legislative Council, as civil service unions added their voices to the chorus of condemnation against him.

New People’s Party chairwoman Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee said she had written to Legco’s House Committee, asking for a debate on a motion to censure Hui, who earlier this week snatched a female civil servant’s phone and dashed into the men’s toilet.

The woman was trying to marshal lawmakers into a meeting to discuss a government bill, but Hui felt it was wrong for the government to send civil servants to monitor lawmakers’ whereabouts during meetings at Legco.

He later apologised profusely to the woman, and to the public, for his actions.

Ip has written to Legco’s House Committee, the first steps in trying to have Hui sacked. Photo: Nora Tam

If the committee, made up of lawmakers known to be Ip’s allies, agrees to the request at its weekly meeting next Friday, the motion would be tabled at the full council by the end of next month.