Sex scandal rocks Hong Kong politics
By Tan Ee Lyn
REUTERS
6:22 a.m. August 23, 2004
HONG KONG – The arrest in south China of a Hong Kong pro-democracy politician for hiring a prostitute has eroded support for his party and hurt its chance of victory in the city's legislative elections next month.
A survey released before the detention last week of candidate Ho Wai-to showed the democrats thrashing pro-government and pro-China parties if the election had been held in early August.
However, support for the party in the constituency where Ho is running – Kowloon East – had fallen to 10 percent on Friday from 15 percent before the case came to light on Aug. 16, according to a poll by the University of Hong Kong.
Ho Wai-to, a candidate for the Democratic Party in Kowloon East in the Sept. 12 elections, was arrested in Dongguan city in southern China after Chinese police said they found him naked in bed with a prostitute in a hotel room during an anti-vice sweep.
Police ordered him detained without trial for six months for re-education, drawing accusations from some democracy politicians that Beijing was trying to smear the image of his party, which has for years been a thorn in the side of Beijing.
Ho has denied the charges, but the case is a major setback for the party, which has for a year been riding a wave of popularity fueled by growing demands for more democracy in this former British colony that returned to Beijing rule in 1997.
Political analyst Ma Ngok believes the impact on the party as a whole will be small on election day.
"Ho was never an important candidate and was never expected to win. Many voters will see it as a matter of personal conduct that has nothing to do with the party," Ma said.
However, Democratic Party strategist Law Chi-kwong said some residents had abused campaign aides since the case came to light.
"They used to call us 'traitors', now they use terms associated with prostitutes," Law said, referring to a new nickname given to the party – the "hiring prostitute party."
But support for other democrat candidates in Kowloon East has risen, indicating pro-democracy voters may only be transferring their backing to other politicians in the same camp.
The party suffered yet another blow Monday when one leading member, James To, was forced to defend himself after a newspaper said he had rented an office for his legislative work without disclosing that he co-owned it.
"I apologize for not having handled things perfectly," To told a news conference, possibly compounding party problems.
LURID SPLASH
"It's obvious, it will affect the whole party, and even more so in Kowloon East. When a bad thing happens, there is no reason for there not to be a negative impact," Law said of Ho's case.
Newspapers have seized upon reports of Ho's tryst, splashing page after page with lurid details and graphic drawings.
"The fall in our popularity in that district over the last few days may be due to Ho Wai-to," Law said.
The party and Ho's family have petitioned Beijing to release Ho, saying he needs regular medication for hepatitis. The move has not gone down well with some residents.
"The party is wrong to ask for medical parole. Why should China give special privileges to someone who has broken the law? If he has committed an offence, he must pay," said football coach Vivian Lam, a voter registered in Kowloon East.
"What Ho did was wrong. How can he be a legislator? How can he be a role model?" she said.
For Ho's party, which now holds 11 seats in the 60-member legislature, the episode is a nightmare.
"Why should you vote for these people? They just talk all day and it's all hot air," garment seller Leung Pik-wah said, jabbing her forefinger viciously in the direction of a billboard across the road showing candidates of the Democratic Party.
(Additional reporting by Carrie Lee)
Find this article at:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/features/20040823-0622-hongkong-politics.html
By Tan Ee Lyn
REUTERS
6:22 a.m. August 23, 2004
HONG KONG – The arrest in south China of a Hong Kong pro-democracy politician for hiring a prostitute has eroded support for his party and hurt its chance of victory in the city's legislative elections next month.
A survey released before the detention last week of candidate Ho Wai-to showed the democrats thrashing pro-government and pro-China parties if the election had been held in early August.
However, support for the party in the constituency where Ho is running – Kowloon East – had fallen to 10 percent on Friday from 15 percent before the case came to light on Aug. 16, according to a poll by the University of Hong Kong.
Ho Wai-to, a candidate for the Democratic Party in Kowloon East in the Sept. 12 elections, was arrested in Dongguan city in southern China after Chinese police said they found him naked in bed with a prostitute in a hotel room during an anti-vice sweep.
Police ordered him detained without trial for six months for re-education, drawing accusations from some democracy politicians that Beijing was trying to smear the image of his party, which has for years been a thorn in the side of Beijing.
Ho has denied the charges, but the case is a major setback for the party, which has for a year been riding a wave of popularity fueled by growing demands for more democracy in this former British colony that returned to Beijing rule in 1997.
Political analyst Ma Ngok believes the impact on the party as a whole will be small on election day.
"Ho was never an important candidate and was never expected to win. Many voters will see it as a matter of personal conduct that has nothing to do with the party," Ma said.
However, Democratic Party strategist Law Chi-kwong said some residents had abused campaign aides since the case came to light.
"They used to call us 'traitors', now they use terms associated with prostitutes," Law said, referring to a new nickname given to the party – the "hiring prostitute party."
But support for other democrat candidates in Kowloon East has risen, indicating pro-democracy voters may only be transferring their backing to other politicians in the same camp.
The party suffered yet another blow Monday when one leading member, James To, was forced to defend himself after a newspaper said he had rented an office for his legislative work without disclosing that he co-owned it.
"I apologize for not having handled things perfectly," To told a news conference, possibly compounding party problems.
LURID SPLASH
"It's obvious, it will affect the whole party, and even more so in Kowloon East. When a bad thing happens, there is no reason for there not to be a negative impact," Law said of Ho's case.
Newspapers have seized upon reports of Ho's tryst, splashing page after page with lurid details and graphic drawings.
"The fall in our popularity in that district over the last few days may be due to Ho Wai-to," Law said.
The party and Ho's family have petitioned Beijing to release Ho, saying he needs regular medication for hepatitis. The move has not gone down well with some residents.
"The party is wrong to ask for medical parole. Why should China give special privileges to someone who has broken the law? If he has committed an offence, he must pay," said football coach Vivian Lam, a voter registered in Kowloon East.
"What Ho did was wrong. How can he be a legislator? How can he be a role model?" she said.
For Ho's party, which now holds 11 seats in the 60-member legislature, the episode is a nightmare.
"Why should you vote for these people? They just talk all day and it's all hot air," garment seller Leung Pik-wah said, jabbing her forefinger viciously in the direction of a billboard across the road showing candidates of the Democratic Party.
(Additional reporting by Carrie Lee)
Find this article at:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/features/20040823-0622-hongkong-politics.html