Political Animal
Chief reveals his most religious critic
They share the same faith. They occupy high places in society. Now Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen and Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun find themselves having to live with criticism from an unlikely source - the Catholic weekly Kung Kao Po. At a ceremony marking its 80th anniversary last week, editor-in-chief Sister Teresa Yuen recalled a remark by Mr Tsang about the newspaper. 'He told me in an earlier encounter that 'I am also a good Catholic, but of all the newspapers in Hong Kong, the Kung Kao Po is the one which criticised me the most'. What I told him was this: even Cardinal Zen has said he himself was frequently criticised despite owning the paper,' Sister Yuen said, referring to the fact that Cardinal Zen is the publisher of the weekly.
A Lourdes miracle may not be required
By chance or by design, legislator Abraham Razack has headed off, after the Legco election, on a pilgrimage to Lourdes in France, a Catholic religious shrine traditionally associated with many miracles. Political Animal understands the trip has nothing to do with the 'miracle' of the pan-democrats bagging 23 seats amid gloomy pre-election forecasts about their chances. Mr Razack, who is a Catholic and a core member of The Alliance of non-affiliated lawmakers, might have reasons to seek divine intervention as his group is locked in a tussle with fellow legislator Chim Pui-chung, who is trying to persuade newly elected independents to join his own group. But as Beijing is said to favour The Alliance as a proven supporter of the government, it could be Mr Chim - a renowned gambler - rather than Mr Razack, who needs a miracle to turn the tide.
Legco gets back to the basics
After a long summer holiday, Legco gets back to business - or more accurately, classes - this week. From tomorrow, newly elected lawmakers are due to attend an orientation programme comprising four half-day sessions before the inauguration of the new term on October 8. The programme will begin with a tour of the building and a rehearsal of the oath-taking ceremony in the chamber tomorrow. Things to learn include how to use the Legco website, the procedures of legislation and, most sensitively, how to report and claim expenses and allowances. On the last day of the programme next Tuesday, lawmakers will attend a closed-door meeting to discuss the new seating plan.
Date with space for the next generation
A delegation of 10 from the Hong Kong United Youth Association will head to Beijing tomorrow for the scheduled blastoff of the Shenzhen VII in Gansu on Thursday. The delegation is the only group from the city to go to Jiuquan to enjoy a live close-up view of the spaceship launch. So who are the young people being given this golden chance to see the country begin its first attempt at a spacewalk? Not, it appears, ordinary young people from the city's schools and universities, but the next generation of politicians. Among them are William Tsang Chi-hung, son of National People's Congress Standing Committee former member Tsang Hin-chi, and Kenneth Fok Kai-kong, son of International Olympic Committee member and legislator Timothy Fok Tsun-ting.
