Moderate Hong Kong lawmaker barred at border

Kenneth Leung

Kenneth Leung, a Hong Kong lawmaker representing the Accountancy Functional Constituency, was denied entry into Macau last Sunday afternoon.

The denial has been deemed unreasonable and bizarre, as he had just visited mainland China a few days prior to this refusal of entry to Macau.

The moderate pan-democrat was travelling to Macau with his family, but was refused entry to the city while he was trying to pass the border checkpoint through the e-channel.

“This is utterly strange and totally beyond comprehension,” Leung said, cited by South China Morning Post. “I have done nothing related to Macau recently […] The Macau authorities are [denying entry] recklessly.”

Leung added that he entered Macau last April. In his opinion, a pan-democrat blacklist is being enforced in the MSAR. “I do not understand why I would be turned away from Macau when I could actually enter the mainland.”

The lawmaker was reportedly taken to an office for more than half an hour before he was told by Macau’s immigration authority that he could “pose a threat to Macau’s security”, and later was directed to a ferry back to Hong Kong.

Leung even showed the Macau authority his hotel booking and stated that his trip was simply for tourism purposes.

On the day before his visit, Leung returned from Guangdong, where he had been for a two-day fact-finding visit regarding Hong Kong’s water supply.

Many months ago, Leung also traveled to mainland China without problems. Leung even obtained his new ten-year return home permit to the mainland.

Leung has never been refused entry in to the territory by Macau. His last trip to Macau dates back to April of last year.

Leung said that he would report the case to the Hong Kong Security Bureau and also to Hong Kong’s newly appointed Chief Executive Carrie Lam.

Larry So Man Yum, who is currently a commenter and a retired social work professor from the Macau Polytechnic Institute (IPM), judged the refused entry of Leung as “unfriendly.”

“For the past several times, sometimes, when Hong Kong’s pro-democrat lawmakers came to Macau, somehow Macau did not welcome them, and did not allow them to enter the territory,” said So, adding “however, this time, even China has given him [Kennth Leung] a home return permit, […]. He is not coming to Macau for political events, he is here for a family trip.”

In last October, many Hong Kongers were denied entry into Macau, including independent film director Lo Chun Yip, actor and former social activist Lam Fai Fred; and human rights activist Shaw Kwok Wah. Lo intended to visit Macau to attend a short movie workshop hosted by his friend, while Lam had been invited by a Macau middle school to present a lecture on travelling.

Over 10 pan-democratic lawmakers have been refused entry to Macau at least once since 2008. Several social activists were also barred because they allegedly posed a threat to Macau’s internal security.

League of Social Democrats lawmaker Leung Kwok-hung, also known as “Long Hair”, and eight activists were detained last October as they tried to enter Macau. Leung’s group had travelled to protest during Premier Li Keqiang’s visit to the city last year, planning to urge Beijing to free dissidents and to give Hong Kong more autonomy.