Alan Leung Ka-kit, the former president of the Civic Party, recently posted a “farewell to 2024” message on Facebook. In the post, he elaborated the idea of "living in the moment" by sharing photos of himself enjoying gourmet meals at the Spring Moon Restaurant of the Peninsula Hotel. He further illustrated his “moment” with quotes from Tang dynasty poetry, evoking a sentiment of "no matter how the winds may change, I remain carefree."
However, Leung’s post had drawn quite a number of mocking comments. Many netizens juxtaposed his carefree demeanour displaced on the New Year’s Eve with the much grave situation faced by his former political allies, some of whom were spending the New Year in prison. The criticism was sharp, highlighting the contrast between Leung’s enjoyment and the plight of those who had once stood with him. This served as a reminder of how Leung, once a leading figure in Hong Kong's pan-democratic camp, had skilfully avoided the political risks that ensnared others.
Leung, once a prominent leader of Hong Kong's pan-democratic movement, has long been known for his political astuteness. According to insider reports, Leung had started to show his ability to "dodge danger" and avoid serious risks at his early recognition of the changing political environment. Unlike others, such as Benny Tai and Alvin Yeung, who continued their activism despite being fully aware of the impending dangers, Leung managed to tactfully distance himself from risky positions, feigning naiveté while avoiding involvement in potentially hazardous political actions.
On New Year's Eve at the Spring Moon Restaurant, in addition to showing off pictures of his gourmet meals, Leung quoted a passage from Tang dynasty poet Wang Han's Liangzhou Ci: "I want to finish the beautiful wine in the glowing cup, but the pipa is urging me to get on the horse. I lie drunk on the battlefield, but don't you laugh at me, for how many could return from wars in history?" Some political observers opined that Leung was using the line "how many could return from wars in history" as a metaphor for his former political allies who had walked a path of no return.
However, many comments criticized Leung's apparent detachment from reality, pointing out his indulgence in luxury while his former comrades languished in prison. One remarked, "Mr. Leung, congratulations on enjoying life at the Peninsula so carefree. But how should your imprisoned comrades ‘live in the moment’?" Another comment said, "In the Hong Kong of this moment, only this came to my mind: 'It is better to relentlessly pursue an enemy than to seek fame by imitating a tyrant.'” Political observers interpreted this as a call to continue to pursue accountability of those responsible for the 2019 unrest. Wonder if Leung’s heart would miss a beat hearing that.
Leung's departure from active politics allowed him to avoid the legal consequences that ensnared his peers. Reports indicate that, in the months leading up to the implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law, Leung recognized the imminent dangers and skilfully distanced himself from key decisions. Political insiders revealed that, according to testimony from prosecution witness Au Nok-hin in the 2020 '35+' subversion case, in 2020, after a closed-door meeting where Benny Tai, Lee Wing-tat, Lee Cheuk-yan, and Raphael Wong discussed the details of an illegal primary election, they decided to reach out to other pan-democratic party leaders for further discussions and immediately arranged a meeting with Civic Party leader Alan Leung Ka-kit. However, during the meeting, Leung claimed he had retired from frontline politics and suggested that the matter should be taken up with the Civic Party’s executive committee. This strategic move allowed him to sidestep direct involvement in high-risk activities, while others like Alvin Yeung, Kwok Ka-ki and Jeremy Tam were caught in the fallout.
As the political climate worsened, Leung understood that the Civic Party was facing imminent peril. To protect himself, he and a few core members decided to disband the party before it could be targeted.
On the day the Civic Party officially dissolved, Leung quoted a line from a Song dynasty poem, saying, "There is neither wind nor rain, nor clear skies" as an expression of his resignation. But it drew sharp criticism from Secretary for Security Chris Tang. Tang was dismayed by Leung’s frivolous attitude which was intended to distance himself and those leaders of the Civic Party from the 2019 riots. Secretary Tang's criticism was valid—Leung and other senior Civic Party members, such as Audrey Eu, could not evade responsibility for their roles in the chaos of 2019.
In fact, Leung is not alone who have avoided repercussions. Apart from Audrey Eu, there are Martin Lee, Anson Chan, and Lee Wing-tat. One must wonder: Do they have a sense of quilt over the imprisonment of the younger generation? Or, like Leung, carefree and continue to "live in the moment," and detach themselves from the consequences of their leads?
Lai Ting Yiu
What Say You?
** The blog article is the sole responsibility of the author and does not represent the position of our company. **