Radio Free Asia reported that Leung Chun-ying, the Chief Executive of Hong Kong recently had his lawyer send a letter to Apple Daily claiming that the paper incorrectly reported Leung’s alleged corruption cases and that the report affected his right to stand for reelection next year. Leung demanded Apple Daily to withdraw the news report and issue an apology. In the article, RFA published interviews with a couple candidates regarding Leung’s claim. One Hong Kong resident said that as a news media, Apple Daily has the right to expose Leung’s financial dealings. A dissident from An Hui Province said that, as a public figure, Leung is subject to media exposure and, furthermore, Leung is clearly using his power to threaten the media and freedom of the press. As to the rumor that Leung is an underground communist Party member, he felt that the chief executive was never publicly elected. Rather, he was chosen from a close circle that Beijing monitored. It is, therefore, an unfortunate, sad, and hopeless situation for the democracy in Hong Kong. The article continued with the observation that Leung chose the violent suppression of the “Occupy Central” movement in Hong Kong, which just further proves his close ties with the mainland. Therefore it is obvious that people do not want him to win re-election.
Source: Radio Free Asia, October 1, 2016 http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/gangtai/ql1-10012016124437.html