No rules for them, tough rules for the rest of us
- Huge party gathering of the local political elite exposes their hypocritical sense of entitlement when the government is reimposing tough restrictions with the outbreak of the highly contagious Omicron variant
Our chief executive is having a Boris Johnson moment. The British prime minister found himself embroiled in “partygate” last month after his staff were exposed having a party at 10 Downing Street at a time when such social gatherings were prohibited because of Covid-19 restrictions.
Now, Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor is having her own party scandal. One hundred-and-seventy people attended the birthday party in Wan Chai for Witman Hung Wai-man, principal liaison officer for Hong Kong at the Shenzhen Qianhai Authority. At least two guests have tested preliminary positive.
The group ignored the government’s own advice on avoiding large gatherings in the face of a highly contagious Omicron outbreak. It was a long guest list of who’s who in the top echelon of government. A more disgraceful display of privilege and entitlement is hard to imagine. Did Hung feel he needed a huge gathering to lift his spirits in the middle of a renewed outbreak when everyone else in Hong Kong is being isolated and kept apart? Alarmingly, leaked pictures of the party showed many guests not wearing masks.
It’s unclear if Lam plans on running for a second term. If so, she deserves to be hurt by partygate and have her credibility dented.
At least we now know Hung is one of those VIPs who fly under the radar. Why else would so many other important people show up? They included home affairs chief Caspar Tsui Ying-wai, his deputy Jack Chan Jick-chi; Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui Ching-yu and his deputy Joseph Chan Ho-lim; Undersecretary for Innovation and Technology Chung Wai-keung; police chief Raymond Siu Chak-yee; Commissioner of the Independent Commission Against Corruption Simon Peh Yun-lu; and Undersecretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Clement Woo Kin-man; Director of Immigration Au Ka-wang and Election Committee member Ellen Tsang Fung-chu.
Tsui now has the distinction of being the first principal official being sent to quarantine at Penny’s Bay for three weeks. He was followed on Friday by all those at the party.
Partygate came as the government reimposed tough Covid-19 social-distancing rules including closing bars and gyms, imposing a 6pm curfew on restaurants, and banning flights from at least eight countries. Lam had just given a dressing-down to Cathay Pacific bosses after some staff breached distancing rules and in at least two cases, helped spread the Covid variant.
At least Johnson’s press secretary Allegra Stratton resigned over the scandal. Perhaps Tsui should fall on his own sword, too.