Meetings at the “all patriots” Legislative Council (LegCo) have ended for the term, but outgoing Hong Kong lawmaker Doreen Kong is busier than ever.
Since a massive fire broke out in a Tai Po housing estate on November 26, killing at least 159 people, Kong has been researching building management problems in the city and writing to the city’s authorities about preventing another catastrophe. She also paid a visit to the tragedy site to mourn the victims of the blaze.
“This is my fourth media interview today,” the 55-year-old legislator told HKFP on a December afternoon before rushing off to another.
She critiqued the authorities’ decision to set up an independent review committee to investigate the fire, saying a statutory commission of inquiry with legal powers would be more suitable.
“If the government does not go with a [statutory commission of inquiry], it must explain [the reasons],” Kong said. “I’m not trying to make things difficult for the government, but what happened was major. People are very concerned about how it will be investigated.”
Kong’s view contrasted with those of other politicians. Many shared their party’s statements on social media, lauding the establishment of a committee and echoing Chief Executive John Lee’s words that it would be comprehensive and hold people accountable.
The first-time lawmaker is among the 35 members of the 89-strong “patriots only” legislature who are not seeking re-election. She is leaving LegCo with the same frankness with which she started her term.
Kong joined LegCo after winning the December 2021 elections as a candidate in the Election Committee constituency, meaning she was elected by the Election Committee, a small circle of pro-Beijing political elites.
The 2021 polls were the first after Beijing overhauled Hong Kong’s electoral system to ensure that only those deemed patriotic enough could run. As a result, there were no opposition lawmakers in the 2022-25 LegCo term.
Despite being a fresh face in LegCo, Kong’s visibility rivals even that of veteran lawmakers.
In the opposition-free legislature, where lawmakers are expected to support government policies, Kong has been regarded as a rare, relatively critical voice.
She spoke out against some of the government’s Covid-19 measures, saying in July 2022 that lengthy hotel quarantine stays lacked a scientific basis. Later that year, she urged the authorities to scrap all pandemic policies after China loosened its measures.
Kong was also the sole lawmaker to vote down a HK$14.9 billion government funding request for Light Public Housing, a transitional housing scheme for those waiting for public housing. Before the vote, she criticised the authorities for not providing enough information about the project’s costs.
And in May, when the government proposed subsidiary national security laws that would designate premises linked to Beijing’s national security office in Hong Kong as “prohibited places,” Kong asked officials during a LegCo meeting if such legislation would breach rights protected under the Basic Law and international human rights covenants to which Hong Kong is party.
However, she joined other lawmakers in unanimously passing the controversial Article 23 legislation and – in September – she abstained from voting for a bill that would have granted limited rights to LGBTQ couples.
Kong, however, does not think she is outspoken. She also denies ever receiving orders to tone down her speech.
“I think I just express citizens’ views a little bit more” and try not to sugarcoat them, she told HKFP in her office in November.
“I say [things]… in a more direct approach,” she said. If her mild constructive criticism is considered too outspoken, “that would be quite bad. It means that… we are not allowing people to speak up.”
From orphan to legislator
Growing up, the world of public administration seemed out of reach for Kong, who did not have a typical childhood. She was orphaned and raised by foster parents who separated when she was in Primary Six.
She lived with her foster mum and began working odd jobs, including tutoring her neighbour’s children.
Getting into law school at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) “really changed my life,” Kong said. She went on to work as a solicitor specialising in real estate.
Later, she pursued a master’s degree in public administration at HKU, which inspired her to enter politics.
Kong ran in the District Council elections in 2015 as a member of the New People’s Party (NPP), a pro-establishment party led by veteran politician Regina Ip. The pan-democrat camp secured a sweeping victory in the elections, and Kong lost to a candidate from the pro-democracy Civic Party.
Kong quit the NPP the following year. Five years later, she ran as an independent in the LegCo elections and won a seat.
Hong Kong’s first “patriots only” LegCo finished its meetings in late October. With no opposition members filibustering as a form of protest, LegCo passed 130 bills – the third most in post-Handover history.
Chief Executive John Lee praised lawmakers’ performance over the past four years, saying the legislature demonstrated a “high standard of policy debate and efficiency.”
Kong, however, did not always share this sentiment.
“As lawmakers… we need to have the courage to tell the public what [our] views are,” she said, adding that she felt some lawmakers lacked guts.
“When government officials answer questions posed by LegCo members, sometimes they will go round and round instead of giving a very straightforward answer,” Kong said.
‘Sensitive’ topics
Local media have also reported that lawmakers have been banned from talking about certain topics. In June, a political commentator said lawmakers had been ordered not to talk about food delivery workers’ rights and two housing estates in Fanling where black spots – found to be bitumen – were discovered in drinking water.
Kong denied that she had ever been warned that any topics were off-limits.
“Maybe my colleagues would not speak on topics sometimes because they are very sensitive at that moment,” she said. “Maybe they… try to give more time to the government to speak first.”
Earlier, rumours emerged that lawmakers who were too outspoken or aged 70 and above were discouraged from running in the December race. Indeed, all 12 septuagenarian lawmakers announced they would not seek re-election.
Kong said she received no such pressure.
“I asked myself whether being a LegCo member is the only route to [express citizens’ views],” she said. “I think it is not the only route.”
“And as a practising lawyer, it would be very difficult if I didn’t practise for eight consecutive years,” Kong added.
Speaking ‘for the people’
Soon, Kong will start clearing out her office ahead of moving out in late December, when the LegCo term officially ends. She said she “really enjoyed” her four years as a lawmaker, but looked forward to spending more time on her health, family and legal profession.
Asked what she hoped to see in the new class of lawmakers, who will take their seats in January, Kong said: “I think citizens want lawmakers who know how to express themselves and speak to the point.”
She said lawmakers should also represent citizens’ views, a role that civil society groups should play too, but pointed out that such groups “need time” to grow again.
“From 2019… the development of civic society somehow, I think, stopped. Or [it went] a little bit backwards,” Kong added.
“I hope that… with the passage of time… those rules will change a little bit and be relaxed.”
For now, Kong said she has been busy with her legal work as well as supporting the NPP candidates in the December 7 elections, including campaigning with one election contender on the streets.
The party is fielding eight candidates to run in the polls. Unlike the 2021 elections, when there were still candidates representing centrist parties, this year’s candidates with political affiliations are all from major pro-establishment parties.
Under Beijing’s electoral overhaul, some candidates have struggled to collect the required nominations from members of the Election Committee to run for office.
Kong, however, said she believed lawmakers’ willingness to “represent Hong Kong people” was not tied to political affiliation.
“I am also pro-establishment, but I am willing to speak for the people,” she said. “It doesn’t mean only the opposition or the moderate will speak for the people.”
