DAB back on offensive with attack on James To
The pro-government camp yesterday stepped up its negative campaign against the Democrats by reminding voters about James To Kun-sun's alleged misuse of public funds, two days after leftist unionist Chan Yuen-han faced similar accusations.
But observers said the newspaper advertisements questioning Mr To's integrity, placed by the Democratic Alliance for Betterment of Hong Kong, could backfire by reminding voters of the DAB's own problems.
The half-page advertisements were published in three Chinese-language newspapers friendly to the pro-government camp. The DAB also accused Mr To of double standards over allegations that he rented an office owned by the Democratic Party at a rent above the market price.
DAB vice-chairman Ip Kwok-him said party polls found the Democrats had suffered after the allegations.
'We all know this is a negative advertisement to cast doubt on the Democratic Party. We hope the voters will judge [for] themselves on how the Democrats tried to fudge the issue,' he said.
Mr Ip rejected suggestions that Ms Chan, the Federation of Trade Unions' candidate in Kowloon East, should be subjected to the same public scrutiny because 'her case is totally different from To's case'.
Ms Chan, a founding member of the DAB, was accused on Wednesday of using Legco allowances to rent an office owned by her trade union as a members' clubhouse. She has denied any wrongdoing.
Political scientist Anthony Cheung Bing-leung of City University said the DAB campaign could backfire.
'The nature of Chan's case was similar to To's,' Professor Cheung said.
One pro-democracy campaigner said: 'I am amazed that the DAB has not learnt its lesson and shut up.'
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tK%2FMqWWcp51krrPAyJyjnmdka4V6g5Fom5qaXZeupLeMqJ2fnZ6otrexjJqrrZmToHqrrcyeqg%3D%3D