Scandal-hit Tang declares bid for Hong Kong leadership
HONG KONG: China’s reported favourite to become the next leader of Hong Kong presented his candidacy for next month’s election, ignoring his plunging popularity ratings and pressure to step aside.
Henry Tang submitted his nomination papers yesterday amid a blaze of media lights just days after revelations of an illegal underground den at his wife’s upmarket house threw his campaign into disarray.
“He has submitted his nomination papers,” a spokesman for Tang said, confirming that the former businessman and finance secretary would contest the March 25 vote.
The scion of a wealthy family was widely believed to have Beijing’s backing to replace outgoing leader Donald Tsang as Hong Kong’s chief executive, until last week’s scandal blew the race wide open.
Tang on Thursday admitted he knew about the illegal underground entertainment area in an upmarket home he shares with his wife, Lisa Kuo, but blamed her for ordering its construction without his permission.
It is the latest embarrassing episode in Tang’s campaign, which started late last year with a public admission that he had cheated on Kuo with another woman.
A University of Hong Kong opinion poll released on Sunday showed 51.3% of the 516 people surveyed thought Tang should abandon his campaign.
“All figures show that Tang’s scandal has taken a big toll on his credibility. It may be unwise for him to stay in the race,” poll director Robert Chung told the Sunday Morning Post, which commissioned the survey.
“There is no doubt that public anger is on the rise. I personally do not find any effective damage control taken by Tang, so I still think the worst is yet to come.”
Tang was the second candidate to submit his nomination papers after Albert Ho, from the pro-democracy camp. — AFP