New storm: Hong Kong Indigenous candidate Edward Leung admits he was born on the mainland
But the localist said what was important was that he defended Hong Kong values, culture and institutions, not where he was born
Edward Leung Tin-kei of Hong Kong Indigenous has found himself in hot water after the localist admitted he wasn’t actually born in Hong Kong but on the mainland.
Leung has been critical of the government’s inability to control people from across the border from coming to Hong Kong.
READ MORE: Explained: who are Hong Kong Indigenous and what was their role in the Mong Kok protest and riot?
His group has also staged protests against parallel traders from the mainland, accusing them of stealing the city’s resources.
But on Saturday, while he was out thanking voters in New Territories East, the localist told media he was born on the mainland.
And in an interview published earlier, Leung, who came third after winning some 60,000 votes in the recent New Territories East by-election, also revealed that his mother was a mainland immigrant who moved to the city 24 years ago.
The revelations have triggered heated debate on the internet as to whether Leung’s background is incompatible with his politics.
“Go away! You are only pretending to be a localist to gain votes,” one internet user wrote.
