Ma Lik

{|align=right
Infobox_Politician
name =Ma Lik
馬力


imagesize = 120px
caption =
office = Chairman of Democratic Alliance for Betterment of Hong Kong
term_start = 9 December 2003
term_end = 8 August 2007
predecessor = Jasper Tsang Yok-sing
successor = Tam Yiu Chung
parliament = Hong Kong
constituency_MP2 = Hong Kong Island
parliament2 = Hong Kong
majority2 =
term_start2 = 1 October 2004
term_end2 = 8 August 2007
predecessor2 =
successor2 =
birth_date = Birth date|1952|2|23
birth_place = Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
death_date = death date and age|2007|8|8|1952|2|23
death_place = Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
nationality = Chinese
spouse = Leung Wai-ching
party = DAB
relations =
children =
residence = Hong Kong
alma_mater = Chinese University of Hong Kong
occupation =
profession = Politican
Secondary school teacher
Journalist
religion =


website = [http://malik.hk/big5/ malik.hk zh icon]
footnote=

Ma Lik GBS JP (23 February 1952—8 August 2007), born in Guangzhou, Guangdong with family roots in Xiamen, Fujian, was a Legislative Councillor, and was the Chairman of the Democratic Alliance for Betterment of Hong Kong (DAB), a pro-Beijing political party in Hong Kong.

Biography

Ma attended the Pui Kiu Middle School, graduated with a Bachelor's degree (with Honours) from the Department of Chinese from United College, Chinese University of Hong Kong. He was a teacher in Sun Kiu Middle School, a Pro-Chinese Communist Party secondary school in Hong Kong. the Deputy Publisher of the "Hong Kong Commercial Daily", and a local Deputy to the National People's Congress [http://www.legco.gov.hk/english/index.htm Ma Lik] , Legislative Council of Hong Kong, Retrieved 2007-05-18]

Ma was formerly the Secretary General of the DAB, and became the Chairman of the DAB in December 2003 Chairman, Mr. Jasper Tsang Yok-sing resigned following the poor performance of the party in the November 2003 District Council electionsCannix Yau, [http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=&art_id=33336&sid=&con_type=1&d_str=20031210&sear_year=2003 "Ma pledges to win back trust in DAB"] , The Standard, 10 December 2003] in which the pro-democratic camp won 150 seats, while DAB secured only 62 seats out of the 205 DAB candidates fielded [Eddie Luk, [http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=&art_id=32506&sid=&con_type=1&d_str=20031127&sear_year=2003 "Public speak out with votes"] , The Standard, 27 November 2003] . Ma was re-elected leader on 25 April 2007 [http://www.rthk.org.hk/rthk/news/englishnews/news.htm?englishnews&20070425&56&395693 Ma Lik reappointed as DAB chairman] , Radio Television Hong Kong, Retrieved 2007-05-18] .

Ma served in the Basic Law Promotion Steering Committee, Hong Kong Cheshire Home Foundation, and Committee on the Promotion of Civic Education. He was formerly the Chief Editor of the Hong Kong Commercial Daily, Deputy Secretary General of the Basic Law Consultative Committee, Director of Treasure Land International Property Consultants, General Manager of The Hong Kong Institute for Promotion of Chinese Culture, and member of the Selection Committee for the First Government of HKSAR.

Ma was active in the political circles in Hong Kong and Mainland China. Ma also wrote weekly and daily columns that appear in "Hong Kong Economic Times", "Ming Pao" and "The Sun".

Ma announced in 2004, prior to standing for election to the Legislative Council, that he had been diagnosed with colon cancerCarrie Chan and Diana Lee, [http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=11&art_id=44645&sid=13647553&con_type=1&d_str=20070517&sear_year=2007 "Ma critics use 4 June row to attack DAB"] , The Standard, 17 May 2007] . He left for treatment in Guangzhou soon after the Tiananmen controversy he sparked. He died on 8 August 2007 at 2pm in Guangzhou Sun Yat-sen University. [ [http://hk.news.yahoo.com/070808/60/2d831.html News on Ma Lik's death] , Yahoo! Retrieved on 8 August 2007.] His body was transported back to Hong Kong on 11 August 2007. The funeral was held on 23 August. He was cremated according to his wishes.

Ma's death precipitated the Hong Kong Island by-election, 2007, which was won by Anson Chan on 2 December 2007. [ [http://www.elections.gov.hk/legco2007by/eng/result.html Election Result of the 2007 LegCo Hong Kong Island by-election] ]

Tiananmen Square Massacre denial furore

On 15 May 2007, during an informal meeting Ma had with journalists to discuss political reform, ["Ma Lik's Comments on June Fourth", Page A2, East South West North, ZoneEuropa, Accessed 22 May 2007] Ma was asked on his views on the "Tiananmen massacre". Ma caused huge furore which hit radio broadcasts, the front pages and editorials of several of the local newspapers, which cited him denying that clampdown of the protesters was a "massacre". [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/05/16/asia/AS-GEN-Hong-Kong-Tiananmen-Crackdown.php Pro-Beijing lawmaker in Hong Kong denies Tiananmen Square 'massacre' in 1989] , Associated Press, International Herald Tribune, 15 May 2007]

He said of 4000 students at the scene, not everyone got killed; certain student leaders, namely Chai Ling, Wuerkaixi, Feng Chungde, and Hou Dejian, were able to leave the protest site without incident, therefore it is not a massacre. Comments which appeared to cause the most offense related to the alleged army tanks' rolling over protesters, and the PLA's cremation of victim's bodies on-site:

Ma questioned whether "Gweilos" (a racial epithet for Caucasians) should be the ones to interpret the truth about "Tiananmen",Ambrose Leung, "Fury at DAB chief's Tiananmen tirade", Page 1, South China Morning Post, 16 May 2007] and asserted that Hong Kong was "not mature enough", for believing a massacre took place. Hong Kong lacked patriotism and national identity, and would thus not be ready for universal suffrage until 2022.

Ma also asked the Education Department to define massacre as events where over 4,000 were dead, which would make Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 not a massacre under the new definition. He later withdrew the redefinition request.Fact|date=June 2007

Responses

Democrats and relatives of victims all attacked Ma for his comments. Szeto Wah called Ma "shameless", questioning if killings had to be on the scale of the Nanking Massacre to qualifyPage 1, Ming Pao, 16 May 2007] . He said that "facts written in blood cannot be twisted by lies". Democrat Cheung Man Kwong criticised the attempt at "whitewash", and denounced Ma as "cold-blooded". Student leader of the protest, Wang Dan, said Ma was "utterly devoid of a conscience". Albert Ho said: "Ma's remarks have put salt on the open historical wounds".

Outraged by Ma's comments, 127 "Tiananmen Mothers", led by Ding Zilin, demanded a retraction and a public apology for the humiliation he has heaped on those who died.Page A5, Ming Pao, 18 May 2007]

The day after the remarks appeared in the headlines, Ma attended an RTHK radio phone-in, where he apologised for making "frivolous and giddy" remarks. Ma claimed he was merely trying to bring the rash claims about the number and manner of deaths reported in the foreign press into proper perspective. He admitted he had perhaps been careless with his words, and would assume full responsibility for what he said [http://www.mingpaonews.com/20070517/gba1h.htm 馬力認輕佻拒撤觀點,否認促為六四定調 願受黨處分] , Ming Pao, 17 May 2007 zh icon] . He stopped short of apologising for his comments in general.

One DAB Vice Chairman Tam Yiu Chung defended Ma, but questioned the timing: "people will understand it gradually". Fearing political fallout, another DAB Vice Chairman, Lau Kong Wah (劉江華), distanced the party from Ma, saying that Ma had expressed "a personal opinion".. Chan Wing-kee (陳永棋), the head of ATV and CPPCC Standing Committee member declared Ma "a patriot" for his comments.. Chan furthermore denounced the perennial Legco debate on the 4 June incident as "unnecessary" [ [http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=13&art_id=44716&sid=13665358&con_type=1&d_str=20070518&sear_year=2007 Ma's massacre denials draw fire from activists] , The Standard, 18 May 2007] . Another CPPCC member, Chang Ka-mun, chimed in, saying it was "irrational" to compare 4 June to the Nanjing massacreDamon Pang, [http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=11&art_id=44860&sid=13700289&con_type=1&d_str=20070521&sear_year=2007 `Massacre' remarks trigger sharp exchange at City Forum] , The Standard, 21 May 2007] .

The Central committee of the DAB declined any further action after their meeting on 22 May, stating that Vice-Chairman Lau's response was adequate. There was no formal apology.

The annual vigil in memory of Tiananmen attracted an increased turnout in 2007. An estimated 55,000 people, more than a few of whom appear to have been spurred to attend by Ma's comments, packed Victoria Park, [Scarlett Chiang, [http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=11&art_id=46083&sid=13918050&con_type=3&d_str=20070605&sear_year=2007 4 June turnout rises amid outrage at Ma] , The Standard, 5 June 2007] up from 44,000 one year earlier [Justin Mitchell and Michael Ng, [http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=11&art_id=20128&sid=8267179&con_type=3&d_str=20060605&sear_year=2006 Tens of thousands at vigil] , The Standard, 5 June 2006] .

Possible motives

Political observers noted how some newspapers carried his remarks prominently on the front page, whilst others failed to mention them in their columns at all. Privately, some journalists stated that they thought Ma was sincere, yet they felt sorry that he was committing political suicide [" [http://www.zonaeuropa.com/20070517_1.htm Ma Lik's Comments on June Fourth] ", East South West North, ZoneEuropa, Accessed 22 May 2007] .

Analysts began commenting that Ma's remarks may be part of a concerted propaganda attempt by Beijing to dampen expectations for universal suffrage. Beijing is apparently fearful of the forthcoming debate over constitutional development in Hong Kong.Chris Yeung, "Pouring cold water on democracy hopes", Page A14, South China Morning Post, 21 May 2007] cquote|The power over Hong Kong's political system rests on the central government, not the special administrative region. [Chris Yeung, "Pouring cold water on democracy hopes", Page A14, South China Morning Post, 21 May 2007,] The timing of the above statement by NPC Chairman Wu Bangguo at to a NPC deputies' meeting in March 2007, is considered important, as Donald Tsang promised a green paper (consultative document) on electoral reform would be published in the summer.

More recently, some local loyalists have issued statements pushing back the date for universal suffrage. Most notably, Cheng Yiu-tong ruled out direct elections for the Chief Executive in 2012. He further warned pro-democracy advocates that universal suffrage in 2017 was unlikely. He blamed the lack of progress on the "intransigence" of democrats, who blocked reform proposals put forward in December 2005. Cheng said that the electoral system would "march on the spot again in 2012". [Gary Cheng, "Warning over reform in 2017", Page A2, South China Morning Post, 21 May 2007]

Other controversies

Anti-RTHK

In 20 October 1999 the pro-Beijing group fiercely attacked Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK). Ma Lik publicly attacked RTHK from changing the role from a "watchdog" to a "mouthpiece" of the Hong Kong government. [Wong, Yiu-Chung. [2004] (2004). One Country, Two Systems in Crisis: Hong Kong's Transformation Since the handover. Lexington Books. ISBN 0739104926.]

Criticising Hong Kong

Ma Lik criticised the rate at which Hong Kong is moving. And that it would take until 2022 for the public to have acquired enough patriotism to accept Communist party rule.Pepper, Suzanne. Keeping Democracy at Bay: Hong Kong and the Challenge of Chinese Political. [2007] (2007). Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 0742508773.]

Other Maliks

Confusingly, there are five to six people with the Chinese name 馬力 in the DAB. Apart from this Ma Lik, the others have the English name Malik and are of South Asian origin. One of them (Malik Khan Muhammad) was appointed as a District Councillor. [ [http://www.mingpaovan.com/htm/News/20070716/HK-gzb1.htm 民建聯馬力增至五六個] ] He was not reappointed after a member of his staff accused him of sexual harassment.

See also

*PRC United Front strategy
*Regina Ip
*Tsang Yok-sing‎
*Tsang Tak-sing

External links

* [http://mali.awardspace.biz/mali.html Squish Ma Lik with tanks game]

References