Need a fair-weather friend? Look no further than Wong Yuk-man

Radical lawmaker Wong Yuk-man is not known for being politically correct. But even by his own lax standards, some of his recent comments about a Legco election rival is a bit sexist.

The legislature’s disrupter extraordinaire was once a big supporter of young localist politicians. But he has since turned against those who are either running against him or his allies in Sunday’s Legco elections. First, it was his one-time protege, the pro-independence activist Edward Leung Tin-kei – whom he accused of being “a political trickster” because the young man failed to canvass votes for Wong’s ally, Civic Passion’s Alvin Cheng Kam-mun.

Now, it’s “pro-independence goddess” Yau Wai-ching, of the localist group Youngspiration.

Questioning her competence, Wong said: “Being a lawmaker means more than just being young and cute. You must know Legco’s rules and procedures. Without knowing such basics, why waste votes on her? Why not compete for Miss Hong Kong instead?”

I don’t know why, but no one seems to have picked up on the blatantly offensive sexism in his remarks.

In any case, Wong’s complaints about ignorance of Legco’s rules and procedures is a bit rich. Aside from fellow object-throwing disrupters Albert Chan Wai-yip, Chan Chi-chuen and “Long Hair” Leung Kwok-hung, no one has done more to subvert the proper workings of legislative procedures and rules than Wong.

These not-so-fantastic four have taught a whole generation of young people that being a lawmaker in Hong Kong means shouting at officials and opponents, throwing things at ministers and the chief executive and disrupting Legco meetings and the reading of bills.

Knowledge of law, understanding of official policies and their alternatives, a healthy sense of costs and benefits, risks and rewards or just a rudimentary understanding of the numbers behind the government’s budget? Who cares!

How about oratory – the ability to speak, argue and reason well, something that has been prized by parliamentarians throughout the ages? Forget that, too. You just need to shout loudly and rally a crowd.

So, it’s not clear what Wong is really criticising about Yau. She is an alumnus of Occupy Central. She can clearly rally a crowd, shout down any official and fight off police and security guards.

Going by Wong’s standards of behaviour and professionalism, she is more than qualified to be a legislator.