Are you Smart Enough to Run Hong Kong? We Test 7 Legco Candidates

Here Are The Candidates:

You Have 10 Minutes To Complete The Quiz...

Ready...Set...Go!

What The Politicians Say:

Charles Peter Mok: [After 3 seconds] 459. Correct!

Fernando Cheung Chiu-hung: I don’t have a calculator with me now, but I’ll try. 357 divided by 7 is 51...and 51 times 9 is...450. [HK: You sure?] Yes, 450. Close..but wrong!

Aron Kwok Wai-keung: Wish I had a pen and paper to write this down. [nine seconds later] 459! Ha, this is pretty simple. Correct!

Stanley Ng Chau-pei: [After more than a minute] There are 295 female clerks. No wait, it should be 2,595. Hmm...wrong!

Nathan Law Kwun-chung: [After seven seconds] 459. Wait, do I have more time for this? [HK: you have one minute.] Oh, I should’ve double checked!  Correct!

Tanya Chan Suk-chong: 459. Correct!

Christine Fong Kwok-shan: [5 seconds later] 459. Correct!

Read more: 8 Hong Kong Happy Hours to Tide You Through to Payday

Read more: Inside the Minds of Hong Kong: Brainstorming

What The Politicians Say:

Mok: A) Yes, because one day Earth will become so polluted that we may have to migrate to the outer space. I was planning on a simple “yes,” but you gave me 30 seconds so I had to say something.

Cheung: B) Because they dream about them. They imagine that they exist.

Kwok: A) In the sense of science, I think we have the... we have the curiosity to... to find out the answer. [HK: Anything else to add?] Hm, no. 

Ng: A) Of course it’s worth to spend money to find out the alien life, because we have to find out what kind of the other... [HK: Life?] lifekind in the universe. My English is no good.

Law: B) Because they are still in the assumption that no one knows whether there are aliens or not. So I don’t think this is a valid judgement.

Chan: A) No, if there really are aliens, they’ll come to Earth anyways. Why should we spend billions of dollars looking for them?

Fong: B) Because there’s freedom of speech in Hong Kong and they can freely talk about whatever. That’s it, thank you.

OK, sure. A point for everyone!

What The Politicians Say:

Mok: One hour, I guess? Wrong!

Cheung: Haha, what?! How can a cockroach live without its head? Wrong!

Kwok: A roach without a head cannot survive. Wrong!

Ng: Oh I’ve never thought of that! I guess it’ll stay for a few hours, around three to four hours. Wrong!

Law: Are you sure a normal person will know how long a cockroach lives without its head? Let me guess...two weeks? Correct!

Chan: Around 9 to 10 days. Correct!

Fong: Pretty long. I played with millipedes in the countryside when I was small. I think they can survive for up to 90-100 days. Wrong!

Read more: Hong Kong's Master Chefs Spill Their Secrets: Kitchen Confidential

What The Politicians Say:

Mok: Let me see... around 6:1? Correct!

Cheung: Oh no, I never pay attention to that. 4:1? Wrong!

Kwok: I haven’t actually counted before, but I have the impression that the numbers are quite balanced. Oh no wait, there are only 20-something female members—I’ll go for 3:1 then. Wrong!

Ng: Let me list out the names of the female members I know...So that’s 70:8! No wait, it’s 62:8. Wrong!

Law: I’m guessing 3:1, I really don’t know. Wrong!

Chan: There are eleven female Legco members now, so it should be 59:11. It used to be 10 when I was there. Correct!

Fong: The proportion of female members is really low, less than one third. Around 11 I think? So that’s 59:11. Correct!

What The Politicians Say:

Mok: $8,000? Wrong!

Cheung: Around $15,000, I think. Wrong!

Kwok: Let me see...it should be around $10,000. No wait, um, I haven’t read the report. It should be $12,000. Wrong!

Ng: I’ve never dealt with this. Can you make it into a multiple choice question please? [HK: OK: A) $9,000, B) $10,000, C) $11,000, D) $12,000.] D sounds the closest. Wrong!

Law: $8,000 to $10,000. Wrong!

Chan: $11,500. Correct!

Fong: I’ve seen rocket-high residential prices here, up to $70,000. On average, I think around $20,000. Wrong!

Read more: Made in Hong Kong: The People Keeping the Label Alive

What The Politicians Say:

Mok: Urghh, I haven’t cooked for ages...$100? Wrong!

Cheung: $40? Wrong!

Kwok: $60 to $80. Correct!

Ng:That depends on the brand. The ones I usually buy, are they 5 kg or 10 kg? [HK:...] I think it’s $80 to $90. Wrong!

Law: Let me recall the last time I went to buy rice with my family... $70? Wrong!

Chan: $80, I guess? Wrong!

Fong: $70 to $80. Wrong!

What The Politicians Say:

Mok: Half of the total number of members, which means 35. Correct!

Cheung: Half of its members, which is 35. Correct!

Kwok: Half. Correct!

Ng: Over half. Correct!

Law: Half. Correct!

Chan: Half, 35. Correct!

Fong: Over half. Correct!

What The Politicians Say:

Mok: From my experience, the government usually sets the poverty line pretty low, so I’m going for $6,000. I think 800,000 people live below it. Wrong!

Cheung: $10,000 to $12,000. Around 19 percent of the total population lives below it, which is about 900,000 people. Wrong!

Kwok: That’s around half of $20,000, so about $11,000? Around 900,000 people. Wrong!

Ng: I think it’s around $12,000. Around 100,000 people? Wrong!

Law: Around $9,000. Around 20 percent of the total population. Um...not quite right.

Chan: Around $16,000, and about one million people are living below it now. Correct!

Fong: You mean the income limit of low-income families to apply for subsidies? That’s $16,400. Around 1.3 million I think. Correct!

What The Politicians Say:

Mok: The one that forbids Mainland law enforcement agencies from imposing their laws here. Can I cheat? [HK: Your one minute is running out, and no.] Oh man! Almost there!

Cheung: I know what the debate’s about, but I don’t remember the number of the article. Not quite

Kwok: Who said it violated the Basic Law? I’m not sure about this. Is it in the annex? I don’t know. Wrong!

Ng: I must first clarify that in this is not a political or legal problem, but a technical one. Anyways, I don’t know the number of the article. You've got a point there, ish.

Law: I don’t know which Basic Law specifically, but we worry this will set a precedent and other departments will find a way to enforce China’s law in Hong Kong. Hmm, maybe.

Chan: I know what the law’s about, but I can’t recall the number! Such a pity!

Fong: I remember we mentioned revising Article 20. There are quite a few, I think Article 18 is also involved. Correct!

What The Politicians Say:

Mok: I know! That’s the game that uses augmented reality, right? Correct!

Cheung: Erm...is it like a slogan? 比卡超加油 (literally “Pikachu Add oil”)? I have absolutely no idea what it is. Wrong!

Kwok: It’s a game that allows you to track down and capture Pokémon. Correct!

Ng: Is that a proper noun? I’ve never heard of this before. Wait, wait, is that a kind of chess? Has it got something to do with the AI chess player? Sorry, I have no idea. Wrong!

Law: It is a game that makes use of Google Maps or the GPS system on your mobile device, to allow you to capture virtual Pokémon in real life. Correct!

Chan: It’s a game about capturing monsters which may hide in the strangest places, like the police station. Then you have to go inside to capture them, which will probably turn the police station upside down. Correct!

Fong: Fun! It’s a Nintendo app that allows you to capture Pokémon and realize your dreams. But I hope that players will refrain from playing the game in places like museums. Correct!

Read more: Monopoly City: The Companies That Own Everything in Hong Kong

Read more: Hong Kong's Sex, Lies and Statistics: What Numbers Tell You About Our City

Take the HK Magazine TSA Test!

Now it’s your turn! Take this test and see if you’re full of Hong Kong knowledge. Warning: It’s not easy!

1) (i) What is the tallest building in Hong Kong, (ii) and what is its height? (1/2 point each) 
2) What is the most densely populated island in Hong Kong? (1 point) 
3) List, from largest to smallest, the biggest four islands of Hong Kong by area. (1 point) 
4) Why is “Smithfield” in Kennedy Town called “Smithfield”? (1 point) 
5) “Kowloon” means “nine dragons.” What are the nine dragons? (1 point) 
6) In what area of Hong Kong was the Bubonic Plague isolated? (1 point) 
7) Name all 18 districts of Hong Kong. (1/2 point each) 
8) Who claimed Hong Kong for the British at Possession Point? (1 point) 
9) Name Hong Kong’s only Nobel Prize-winner. (1 point) 
10) What is the largest ethnic group in Hong Kong after the Chinese? (1 point)

The Answers!

How did you do? Check your answers here.

1) (i) ICC, (ii) at 484m.
2) Ap Lei Chau.
3) Lantau, Hong Kong Island, Lamma, Chek Lap Kok.
4) It was historically the site of a cattle depot and slaughterhouse, and so was named for the same area in London.
5) The eight mountains ringing the Kowloon Peninsula and the boy Emperor Bing of Song, who fled to Hong Kong to escape the Mongols.
6) Tai Ping Shan.
7) Islands, Kwai Tsing, North, Sai Kung, Sha Tin, Tai Po, Tsuen Wan, Tuen Mun, Yuen Long, Kowloon City, Kwun Tong, Sham Shui Po, Wong Tai Sin, Yau Tsim Mong, Central & Western, Eastern, Southern, Wan Chai.
8) Commodore James Bremer, on Jan 26, 1841.
9) Professor Charles K. Kao, the "Father of Fiber Optics."
10) Indonesian (No, not the French).
 

Candidates nominated for the 2016 Legislative Council General Election for Hong Kong Island as of 5pm, July 19: Cheng Kam-mun, Chung Yuen-wun, Hui Chi-fung, Sin Chung-kai, Ip Lau Suk-yee Regina, Chan Judy Ka-pui, Lee Man-lung Joey, Tse Tsz-kei, Hung Lung-chuen, Wong Ching-chi Gigi, Kwok Wai-keung, Ng Chau-pei, Ho Ngai-kam Stanley, Lui Hung-pan, Chan Wing-yan, Cheung Kwok-kwan, Chung Shu-kun Christopher, Chung Ka-man Jacqueline, Mak Tse How-ling Ada, Ting Kong-ho Eddie, Wong Chi-chung, Law Kwun-chung. 
Candidates nominated for the 2016 Legislative Council General Election for New Territories East as of 5pm, July 19: Lam Cheuk-ting, Lau Wai-hing Emily, Ting Tsz-yuen, Ng Kam-hung, Lo Ying-cheung, Yung Hoi-yan, Tam Lanny, Leung Ka-fai, Chan Man-kuen, Tong Hok-leung, Yip Chi-ho, Liu Tsz-chung Michael, Leung Tin-kei Edward, Fong Kwok-shan Christine, Lee Tsz-king Dominic, Tien Pei-chun James, Quat Elizabeth, Chong Yuen-tung, Tung Kin-lei, Chan Pok-chi, Chiu Man-leong, Li Ka-leung Philip, Wan Kai-ming, Lo Tai-suen Ada, Wong Chi-yung, Cheung Chiu-hung, Kwok Wing-kin, Fan Gary Kwok-wai, Yam Kai-bong, Leung Li, Chung Kam-lun, Chan Wai-tat, Li Sai-hung, Chow Yuen-wai and Lui Man-kwong. 
Candidates nominated for the 2016 Legislative Council General Election for the Information Technology functional constituency as of 5pm, July 19: Mok Charles Peter.