Patriot Ad

Yung's ad in Oriental Daily severing ties with father-in-law

The talk of the town today is a devoted display of patriotism, so much so that it goes against Confucianist principles of respecting your elders, including your father-in-law.

Pro-Beijing lawmaker Eunice Yung Hoi-yan has severed ties with her pro-democracy father-in-law, Elmer Yuen, but did it very publicly.

In yesterday's Oriental Daily, she published a quarter-page ad announcing the end of her relationship with Yuen, making it very clear in black and white.

"I, Eunice Yung, as a Chinese person with the blood of the great motherland flowing through my veins, on the premise of the righteous cause of the country and according to claims made by the National Security Department that Mr Elmer Yuen allegedly contravened the offence of subversion under the national security law, do hereby declare that I am breaking off in-law relations with Mr Elmer Yuen," the advert said.

Yung's wedding day, Elmer Yuen on far left

He allegedly contravened the offence of subversion though it has not been proven in court nor has he been arrested for it.

But Yung seems to be pre-empting the possibility of being connected to his actions and making this declaration now.

Her father-in-law Yuen is alleged to have, together with ex-lawmaker elected Baggio Leung Chung-hang, and journalist Victor Ho Leung-mau of forming a committee to establish a "Hong Kong parliament". 

While the police claim it will spare no effort in bringing the alleged offenders to justice, it will be hard to as Yuen left Hong Kong several years ago.

And if the newspaper ad didn't get across to a big enough audience, Yung also posted it on her social media and urged people "not to test the law", and cut ties with anyone who may have violated the national security law.

The trio did apparently set up the "Hong Kong Parliament Electoral Organising Committee" in Canada in July this year, with the aim of holding its first election to the parliament in late 2023, according to the group's statement.

"It is the committee's belief that only genuine democratic election could literally [speak up] for the people of Hong Kong," the statement said.

Yuen knew Yung would denounce him one day

Yung's tensions with her in-laws is not new -- it was highlighted again in 2019 when the extradition bill came out which led to clashes between protesters and the police.

Not only does Yung have issues with her father-in-law, but also her sister-in-law Erica Yuen Mi-ming, who was chair of the pro-democratic People Power that is more radical than the other opposition groups before.

In 2020 in an RTHK program, Elmer Yuen said the Communist Party would criticise Eunice if she did not sever ties with him.

"So if she does so one day, I wouldn't blame her. I will take it easy if she denounces me," he said in the show.

He knows how it works.

But what of Yung's husband, Derick Yuen Mi-chang, a scholar and political commentator who describes himself as a centrist? 

Would Yung might be driven to divorce him for political reasons?

Stay tuned!