Opposition veteran Yeung Sum expresses no regret over loss of Hong Kong government honours alongside two peers
- Democratic Party ex-chairman Yeung Sum argues role in unauthorised assembly was ‘matter of honour and conscience’, no regret over lost Silver Bauhinia Star
- Authorities also withdraw civic honours for Occupy Central co-founder Benny Tai and ex-lawmaker Sin Chung-kai
A veteran Hong Kong opposition politician who was stripped of his civic honours alongside two of his allies over their jail sentences has said he had no regrets, arguing his participation in an unauthorised assembly was a matter of conscience.
Former Democratic Party chairman Yeung Sum, who was released from prison in April after completing a 14-month sentence for taking part in an unauthorised assembly during the 2019 social unrest, also said on Friday that he had not appealed against the government’s decision to strip him of his Silver Bauhinia Star.
“I think it is a matter of honour and conscience for me to stand by the rights to peaceful assembly and protest in Hong Kong,” Yeung, 74, told the Post.
“I don’t feel any regret over being deprived of the honours due to my offence under the Public Order Ordinance by conducting the civil disobedience to defend the civil rights to hold a peaceful assembly and protest in Hong Kong.”
The government honours and titles of ex-lawmaker Sin Chung-kai, also of the Democratic Party, and Occupy Central co-founder Benny Tai Yiu-ting were also forfeited, according to an official notice on Friday.
Tai, previously a legal academic at the University of Hong Kong, was awarded the Medal of Honour in 2001 by then chief executive Tung Chee-hwa for his contributions in promoting the Basic Law, the city’s mini-constitution, and human rights.
