Announcing the authorities’ move, Chief Secretary John Lee said the Candidate Eligibility Review Committee he chairs would not be misled by people who “sugarcoat” their words and only pretend to uphold the Basic Law.
Lee said the committee had screened a total of 1,498 would-be members of the EC and had disqualified Cheng and another potential candidate who was ineligible because he or she wasn’t a registered voter in any geographical constituency.
The chief secretary said the committee had written to Cheng asking him to clarify “some specified matters”, without elaborating.
“After considering his reply, the committee looked at his case holistically and came to a decision that we needed to seek an opinion from the national security committee,” Lee said.
“The national security committee then gave us an opinion to indicate that he hasn’t complied with the requirement of upholding the Basic Law and bearing allegiance to the Hong Kong SAR.”
Lee said in arriving at their decision, the vetting panel had made reference to a “negative list” of behaviours for those seeking public office, as well as things Cheng had said and written in the past.
Cheng’s disqualification as a legislator came into effect immediately, Lee said. The lawmaker was one of only two councillors outside Legco’s pro-establishment camp, the other being medical sector lawmaker Pierre Chan.
Responding to the decision, Cheng said he is a patriot, but that he had no choice but to accept it because it can’t be appealed.
“It’s a bit strange that my extended term was disqualified by a new decision made by the vetting committee. I wonder if it complies with the law and the constitution,” he said.
“Anyway, after the electoral reforms, the vetting committee has the final say.”
Cheng added that although he wouldn’t be able to run in future elections, he believes he can still contribute to Hong Kong in other ways.
Meanwhile, Lee said the Election Committee – which will choose the next chief executive as well as many future lawmakers – will be broadly representative, as people considered to be non-pro-establishment managed to make it through the vetting process.
