Say no to thug-like politicians

It sounds like good news for our fellow residents: Wong Yuk-man and Albert Chan, notorious lawmakers from People Power, have been convicted for unlawful assembly, as well as organizing and participating in unauthorized processions. The two defendants were alleged to have clashed with police and staged a sit-down in Central after launching the July 1 protest in 2011, bringing traffic to a standstill.

This conviction is obviously a victory for law and order. It also serves a timely reminder to those itching to "Occupy Central".

Over the years, radical legislators have held up the Legislative Council's (LegCo) procedures by repeatedly practicing overdoses of filibuster and other politicking tactics at the expense of taxpayers' money. A universal pension plan in the government's proposed budget is a case in point. Radicals raised a whopping 710 amendments that require 148 sessions of debate.

Clear-minded citizens are now getting increasingly impatient with those legislators who oppose for the sake of opposing. Even certain moderate opposition legislators have decided to keep their distance from such thug-like lawmakers.

Despite this conviction, the two legislators still vowed to continue their filibustering at LegCo, as sentencing will be handed down weeks later. No wonder Chan Ching-sum, the convenor of Caring Hong Kong Power, said recently this city is full of "political rogues who aim at messing up Hong Kong. Only by doing so can they enjoy more advantage."

Because of endless counter-productive actions taken by the radicals, LegCo's solemn and respectful reputation is slowly and gradually being eroded. Enough is enough, it is time for Hong Kong society to get united and say no to the rowdy and unruly mobs who are only skillful in resorting to acts of verbal abuse, name-calling and demeaning object throwing.

For the sake of Hong Kong's well-being, we urge those radicals to rein in their horse at the edge of the precipice, and make a righteous U-turn, or be cast aside by the public.

The author is a current affairs commentator.

(HK Edition 04/30/2013 page1)