Why are pro-establishment lawmakers feeling slighted by Hong Kong’s leader?

After winning a pro-democracy stronghold in last month’s by-election, the city’s Beijing-friendly parties should be on a high. But in the first of a two-part series, Kimmy Chung looks at their growing concern that their opponents are getting too cosy with the city’s leader

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Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor (left) attends the Democratic Party’s 23rd anniversary dinner in Kowloon Bay. Photo: Handout

Published: 8:00am, 5 Apr 2018Updated: 11:03am, 5 Apr 2018

After raising eyebrows with a HK$30,000 (US$3,800) donation to the city’s largest opposition party at its annual fundraising dinner, there will be more tut-tutting when Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor welcomes five pro-democracy lawmakers to her official residence for dinner on Friday.

The thought of them sharing food and ideas in Government House will rankle with members of the pro-establishment camp.

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The chief executive’s attempts at improving ties with the city’s opposition are rubbing her traditional allies in the legislature up the wrong way – they feel disrespected and neglected.

Lam’s predecessor Leung Chun-ying may have been unpopular, especially with pan-democrats, but there is one thing the pro-establishment camp misses about him.

Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Carrie Lam (right) with the chairwoman of the city’s largest pro-establishment party, the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, Starry Lee Wai-king (left). Directly behind Lee is former leader Leung Chun-ying. Photo: Dickson Lee

In the final year of his term, which ended in June last year, Leung met members of each major pro-establishment party every month, sources confirmed to the Post.