Tang stays in race despite scandal
Unauthorized basement at wife’s property puts his campaign on defensive
HONG KONG — Henry Tang vowed to stay in the race to be Hong Kong’s next leader, as a scandal over a basement built illegally at his wife’s property prompted lawmaker Regina Ip to join the contest.
The city’s former chief secretary filed papers to run Monday after obtaining nominations from 379 representatives on the 1,200- member election committee. Ip said she plans to contest the March 25 election to give people more choice.
More than half of Hong Kong residents polled by the South China Morning Post said Tang should quit the race to be chief executive after he admitted knowing about the basement that was built without government approval. Tang was already trailing Leung Chun- ying, a former government adviser, in public- opinion polls before newspapers carried front- page stories on the illegal additions that included a wine cellar.
“His refusal to quit the race shows he’s ignoring the opinion of people in Hong Kong,” said Cheung Chor- yung, a senior teaching fellow in public administration at the City University of Hong Kong, who is on the election committee. “How could he govern Hong Kong? Many people may take to the streets before he can start his term.”
The city of 7.1 million residents will pick its leader through the committee made up of executives, lawmakers and representatives from China.
Tang, 59, has the backing of the business lobby on the election committee, with HSBC Holdings Plc’s Asia head Peter Wong and former Hong Kong Monetary Authority CEO Joseph Yam supporting him.
He’s also nominated by Li Ka- shing, Hong Kong’s richest man, and Lee Shau Kee, the chairman of Henderson Land Development Co., Cable TV reported.
Hong Kong newspapers, including Apple Daily and the South China Morning Post, reported the basement contained a wine- tasting room, gym and Japanese- style bath. Tang, a wine lover, said last week the room was used for storage.
Ip was the first woman to run the city’s security bureau. She left government in 2003 after 500,000 people took to the streets protesting against her attempt to introduce an anti- subversion law in the former British colony. Jasper Tsang Yok Sing, chairman of the Legislative Council, also said he will decide early next week whether to run or not.