‘An official breakaway’: lawmaker Eunice Yung publicly cuts ties with father-in-law accused of subversion for proposing ‘Hong Kong parliament’

Legislator Eunice Yung announces severing of ties with Elmer Yuen in local newspaper, says she must protect national sovereignty

Yuen, alongside two other opposition activists, previously called for parliament-in-exile as alternative for any politically frustrated residents

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Lawmaker Eunice Yung has severed ties with her father-in-law after he was earlier accused of subversion by authorities. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Published: 2:51pm, 5 Aug 2022Updated: 6:05pm, 5 Aug 2022

A Hong Kong politician has severed ties with her father-in-law after he was accused of subversion by authorities for proposing the creation of a parliament-in-exile, saying it was her responsibility to “firmly safeguard national sovereignty”.

In an advertisement placed in a local newspaper on Friday, legislator Eunice Yung Hoi-yan described herself as “a Chinese with the blood of the great motherland” and said she had cut ties with Elmer Yuen Gong-yi, who was among three activists sought by local authorities on Wednesday after they called for the founding of a “Hong Kong parliament”.

Yuen, who is based in the United States, alongside activist Victor Ho Leung-mau and former lawmaker-elect Sixtus Baggio Leung Chung-hang, had said the initiative would provide an alternative platform for residents frustrated with Beijing’s “patriots-only” overhaul of the city’s Legislative Council last year.

The newspaper advert, which went viral on Facebook, said that Yung had severed all ties with her father-in-law as part of her commitment to the country.

“On the premise of the righteousness of the nation, and based on the fact that … Yuen is suspected of violating the Hong Kong national security law … I hereby announce the official breakaway of the relationship with Yuen as father-in-law and daughter-in-law,” it said.

The lawmaker for the New People’s Party also told the Post on Friday that she had no doubt that she had “done what was right”.

“This is my personal choice. I need to bring out this message and let the public know. This is an important matter for the nation and there is no room for us to back down or be vague about it,” she said, adding the quarter-page advert had cost her about HK$30,000 (US$3,821).

“As lawmakers, it’s our responsibility to firmly safeguard national sovereignty.”