Just Saying | Cathay Pacific is just the start; tycoons will have to pick a side in Hong Kong’s protest crisis
- Yonden Lhatoo says Beijing’s crackdown on Cathay Pacific aircrew who support anti-government protests is just the start; others will have to toe the line or pay the price
Have you noticed how our tycoons and big business groups have been running scared of the anti-government protest movement sweeping Hong Kong?
They’re terrified of doing or saying anything that may offend the protesters and bring a hysterical lynch mob to their doorstep. And their timidness is understandable, given the potential for instant anarchy across the city at the drop of a hat or helmet these days.
Top developer Sun Hung Kai Properties found out the hard way that even remaining silent or passive could still be detrimental for business, after riot police chased retreating protesters into its flagship shopping mall in Sha Tin last month.
Protesters then besieged the customer-service desk day after day, harassing frontline staff as they demanded to know why police had been allowed inside the mall. To cut a long story short, Sun Hung Kai ended up being so intimidated that it offers “safe spaces” these days in its commercial premises to anyone – protesters or bystanders – fleeing from tear gas and batons in the immediate vicinity.