Former Hong Kong opposition leader makes political U-turn, says he regrets defying government

Barrister turned ex-legislator Alvin Yeung tells court he was ‘naive and blind’ in resisting authorities in city’s first subversion trial

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Former opposition leader Alvin Yeung arrives at the Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre in 2021. Photo: Winson Wong

Published: 8:00pm, 2 Sep 2024Updated: 8:18pm, 2 Sep 2024

A former opposition party leader has disavowed his political beliefs and lamented his “naive and blind” defiance of the Hong Kong government during the critical mitigation proceedings of the city’s first subversion trial.

Barrister turned ex-legislator Alvin Yeung Ngok-kiu said in a letter read out in West Kowloon Court on Monday that he had deeply embarrassed himself, his family and colleagues in the legal profession with his transgression of the Beijing-decreed national security law.

The former leader of the now-disbanded Civic Party said he “truly regretted” his decision to back a 2020 unofficial primary election, which was part of a plan to secure a controlling majority for the opposition in the Legislative Council and force the government to accede to protesters’ demands by indiscriminately vetoing budgets.

Yeung also described his call for party members to join the scheme as “totally senseless”.

“It seems to me that my original aspiration to help make Hong Kong a better place for all my fellow Hongkongers has been deflected by my naive and blind emphasis on opposing the government,” he wrote.

“Moreover, I regret having failed to realise that the rhetoric employed by me during the material time could only contribute to the worsening of the political situation at the time.”