bc magazine

Vetoed 28 – 8!

The Beijing dictated ‘Motion Concerning the Amendment to the Method for the Selection of the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’ a method of faux Universal Suffrage has been vetoed by the Hong Kong Legislature by 28 Votes to 8

The vote took place at 12:33 today far earlier than many expected after all the Legco members who wished to speak had done so and a vote was called for.

In a strategy based on the rule that at least 35 members have to present before a bill can be put to a vote, the Pro-Beijing Legco members walked out of the Chamber. If not enough members are present, the Chairman will ring the bell to ask for members to return to the hall. If there still is not enough people present after 15 minutes, the meeting will be adjourned.

However, not enough Pro Beijing members walked out and 36 Legco members remained, and the vote proceeded.

There’s long faces all around on the Pro-Beijing lawmakers, ironic really that they failed to vote on the reform measure because they didn’t understand the Democratic processes of the Legislature.

There was joyous celebrations inside and outside after the vote.

The reality is that the veto is but one step on the long road to where the people of Hong Kong can hold their Chief Executive accountable for his job performance. CY Leung has shown shown complete and utter contempt for anyone who can’t do something for him. This is not the attitude for a Chief Executive.

This is Hong Kong, not China

It’s noisy outside Legco! Not with chants from people about what they believe in, but because the Pro-Beijing mob have wheeled in a concert quality sound system to drown out anyone who isn’t getting paid to be there. Not wanting to hear people who disagree with their worship of all thing$ North of the Border, they don’t want to see them either… Hundreds of banners and placards have been erected to shield the ‘I’ll do anything for a dollar’ brigade from those who believe that the people running Hong Kong should be held accountable for their actions.

I’m tempted to write that their was much wondering about why these compensated protestors (selling their integrity for 88cents and a bowl of plastic rice) were wearing shiny new numbered shirts, but nobody cared.

As a person who loves Hong Kong and has proudly called it home for over 20 years. I love that the place I call home has freedom of speech, something denied those living North of the border. I rejoice that hard work and talent are rewarded regardless of race, colour or sex, unlike up North where it’s who you know and how thick is the wad of notes openly passed across the table… So what I find most offensive about those supporting this fake bill of universal suffrage is that they’re waving Mainland flags.

If those protesting in favour of bill believe it’s in the best interests of all HongKongers then put away those Chinese flags because you live in Hong Kong not China.

Here’s a simple question for all those who love the Mainland and think government officials don’t need to be accountable to the people for their actions. What’s the biggest and most publicised drive of the current General Secretary of the Communist Party of China? Xi Jinping most media covered focus is anti-corruption – not health, not jobs, not housing, not education. not the economy… Anti-Corruption, the arresting and jailing of those working for the government who instead of looking out for the people, line their own pockets and beat up those who complain about it. If the $50million CY Leung took from one of the largest sub-contractors of the majority government owned MTR was all above board. Then why didnt he declare it and prove he paid tax on it.

Here’s another few questions for those people waving red flags:
If the mainland’s way of doing things is so wonderful, why is much of wealth of China’s 1%ers invested outside China? Rich Americans invest in America, Rich Brits invest in Britain. Rich Mainland Chinese invest everywhere except China!

You never read of HongKongers flooding across the border to the North to smuggle things to Hong Kong. Yet thousands upon thousands of Mainlanders flood into Hong Kong daily to smuggle everything from milk powder to frozen meat to luxury goods (many ironically originally made in China) across the border – why because they don’t trust products made in China!

If the ‘Mainland way’ you love so much is so wonderful…
Why are Hong Kong children being squeezed out of schools because the classes are full of Mainland kids!
Why are our hospital beds full of Mainland patients?
Why do Mainland mothers flock to Hong Kong to give birth?
Why are local jewelry stores routinely emptied of gold by Mainland tourists?
Why since the handover have almost a million people left the Mainland on one-way permits to live in Hong Kong?

We HongKongers are proud of our home, it’s not called the World’s Greatest City for nothing! Yet our traitorous Chief Executive CY Leung is systematically and deliberately destroying the people and the city he’s supposed to serve.

The people of Hong Kong peacefully and politely showed CY, Beijing and the world their displeasure with his policies – CY’s response… to declare that 50% of HongKongers were too poor to know what was best for them. To destroy the integrity of the HK Police by having them beat up, tear gas and pepper spray those who want to call CY to account for his incompetence while turning a blind eye to the crimes of those support him.

Why do we want Universal Suffrage, because the ‘leaders’ imposed on us by Beijing have ranged from incompetent through idiot to corrupt. Yes, under proper universal suffrage we might vote for our own incompetent corrupt idiot – then more fool us!

We have Freedom of Speech in Hong Kong, so all you red flag waving compensated protesters are entitled to shout all you like. But if you love the ‘Mainland way’ so much why not feck off and live there! No need to close the door on your way out!

Will Legco Hear the People Sing?

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The atmosphere is noisy but the hot weather is keep tensions low as crowded outside the Legislative Council public entrance are hundreds of people segregated by barricades into a pro-china side and a pro-democracy side. Reporters armed with still and video cameras fill the neutral between the two camps, others tweet as they wander looking for comment and reaction in the respective camps to the debate taking place inside about the proposed refrom of the selection procedure for the Chief Executive of Hong Koing

On the left closest to Legislative Council Road the pro real democracy protestors are stationed next to the long standing Tin Mei protest village. On the right towards Tamar Park, the Pro-China supporters parade up and down the ramp from the park in groups waving large Chinese flags as they do so. By the late afternoon, the protest numbers have almost doubled as many arrive wearing red or yellow to indicate their views.

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On the Pro-China side, supporters wearing numbered shirts and hats hide beneath dark umbrellas to shade themselves from the sun, almost like vampires. The zone is crammed with mass produced banners, while ideologically sound music at rock concert volumes seeks to deafen the chants coming from the other side. With speakers strategically placed to cause irritation and annoyance among those looking to man the pro-democracy barricades. Along the 80m frontline of barricades bordering the two sections, the pro-China camp in an almost workman like and passionless manner taunt and sneer, pulling faces, insulting and repeatedly mockingly gesturing that they cant hear any of the comments from the Pro-democracy side.

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In contrast to the red of the Pro-china zone of the protest, the symbolic yellow and black umbrella banners festoon the pro-democracy half. Although there are not as many loudspeakers to amplify their voices, the passion of their belief resonates loudly as they seek to communicate their message, their want for a real democracy. Selective policing denies the pro Democracy camp the poles and sticks, so the banners are hung on the barricades for the Pro-Chinese to see. Familiar faces from the Umbrella protests gather in the shade to chant ‘say no to fake democracy’ just loud enough to encourage more to join and to spark irritation amongst those on the otherside. Many of todays chants were led, as usual, by Eric the shirtless artist channeling the support of his fellow protestors as he spat out insults and words of disapproval, the booing of the pro-China side only stoking the fires of democracy.

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