Asia
All Hong Kong pro-democracy lawmakers to resign as China crushes opposition
Hong Kong’s pro-democracy lawmakers said Wednesday they would all quit in protest at the ousting of four of their colleagues who were judged a threat to national security by authoritarian Beijing.
The resignations will reduce the semi-autonomous city’s once-feisty legislature to a gathering of Chinese central government loyalists, effectively ending pluralism in the chamber.
They also mark another blow to Hong Kong’s beleaguered pro-democracy movement, which has been under sustained attack since China imposed a sweeping national security law, including arrests for social media posts and activists fleeing overseas.
“We, from the pro-democracy camp, will stand with our colleagues,” Wu Chi-wai, convener of the 15 remaining pro-democracy legislators, told a press conference.
“We will resign en masse.”
Earlier Wednesday, Hong Kong authorities ousted the four members minutes after one of China’s top lawmaking committees ruled the city’s government could remove any legislator deemed a threat to national security without going through the courts.
Hong Kong’s leader is chosen by pro-Beijing committees, but half of its legislature’s 70 seats are directly elected, offering the city’s 7.5 million residents a rare chance to have their voices heard at the ballot box.
Scuffles and protests routinely break out, with the pro-democracy minority often resorting to filibustering, chanting and obstruction to try to halt bills they oppose.
At Wednesday’s press conference the pro-democracy camp joined hands in solidarity and shouted “Hong Kong add oil!” — a popular slogan during months of huge and often violent protests that rocked the financial hub last year.
China passed the sweeping security law in June to quell the protests, describing it as a “sword” hanging over the heads of its critics.
Pro-democracy member Claudia Mo said Beijing was trying to “sound the death knell of Hong Kong’s democracy fight”.
“They would think that from now on, anyone they found to be politically incorrect or unpatriotic… they could just oust you,” she said.
“We are quitting this term, this legislature, we’re not quitting Hong Kong’s fight.”
Chris Patten, the city’s last colonial governor, also criticised the removals.
“Once again, (Chinese President) Xi Jinping’s regime has demonstrated its total hostility to democratic accountability, and those who wish to stand up for it,” he said.
‘My honour’
“If observing due process, protecting systems and functions and fighting for democracy and human rights would lead to the consequence of being disqualified, it would be my honour,” Dennis Kwok, one of the ousted four, said after his removal Wednesday.
The quartet had initially been banned from running in the city’s legislative elections — which were scheduled to be held September 6 — after calling on the United States to impose sanctions on Hong Kong officials.
Those elections were postponed, with authorities blaming the coronavirus.
Hong Kong’s pro-Beijing leader Carrie Lam said Wednesday the disqualifications were “constitutional, legal, reasonable and necessary”.
A foreign ministry spokesperson in Beijing said they were a “necessary measure in order to maintain the rule of law in Hong Kong”.
More than 10,000 people were arrested during more than seven months of protests, and the courts are now filled with trials — many of them involving opposition lawmakers and prominent activists.
Critics say the law’s broadly worded provisions are a hammer blow to the flickering freedoms that China promised Hong Kong could keep after the end of British colonial rule in 1997.
– AFP
Asia
Up to 200 athletes tested for doping so far at Asian Games
Between 150 and 200 Asian Games athletes tested for doping, yielding no positive results. Anti-doping efforts emphasized for a clean event, focusing on record-breakers.
HANGZHOU, CHINA — Between 150 and 200 Asian Games athletes have already been tested for doping, the Olympic Council of Asia said on Monday, with no positive results so far.
Speaking at an anti-doping press conference on the second full day of the Games in the Chinese city of Hangzhou, the OCA said dope-testing was “gaining momentum” at the event.
Mani Jegathesan, an adviser to the OCA anti-doping committee, warned that drug cheats would be rooted out.
Up to 200 athletes have been tested so far, he said, but any positive results will take several days to come through.
“Every athlete participating in these Games must understand that they could be picked at any time,” Jegathesan warned.
“That is the best step to ensuring we have a clean event.”
There are about 12,000 athletes at the 19th Asian Games, more competitors than the Olympics, and Jegathesan admitted it would be impossible to test them all.
Instead, they will prioritise, including picking out those who break world or Asian records.
— AFP
Asia
Foodpanda’s restructuring amid sale speculations
Food delivery giant Foodpanda, a subsidiary of Delivery Hero, announces staff layoffs in the Asia-Pacific region, aiming for increased efficiency. This move coincides with ongoing talks about potentially selling parts of its 11-year-old business.
Foodpanda, a subsidiary of Delivery Hero, is initiating undisclosed staff reductions in the Asia-Pacific region, as discussions continue regarding the potential sale of a portion of its 11-year-old food delivery business.
In a memorandum circulated to employees on 21 September, Foodpanda CEO Jakob Angele conveyed the company’s intent to become more streamlined, efficient, and agile.
Although the exact number of affected employees was not disclosed, the emphasis was on enhancing operational efficiency for the future.
No mention was made in the memo regarding the reports of Foodpanda’s potential sale in Singapore and six other Southeast Asian markets, possibly to Grab or other interested buyers.
Foodpanda had previously conducted staff layoffs in February and September 2022. These actions come as the company faces mounting pressure to achieve profitability, particularly in challenging economic conditions.
The regulatory filings of Foodpanda’s Singapore entity for the fiscal year 2022, ending on 31 Dec, indicated a loss of S$42.7 million despite generating revenue of S$256.7 million.
Angele further explained that Foodpanda intends to review its organizational structure, including both regional and country teams, with some reporting lines being reassigned to different leaders. Additionally, certain functions will be consolidated into regional teams.
Expressing regret over the challenging decisions, Angele assured affected employees of a severance package, paid gardening leave, and extended medical insurance coverage where feasible.
Foodpanda will also forego the usual waiting period for long-term incentive plan grants, and vesting will continue until the last employment date. Employees will retain all vested shares as of their last day of employment.
Foodpanda, established in 2012 and headquartered in Singapore, became a part of Delivery Hero in 2016. The company operates in 11 markets across the Asia-Pacific region, excluding its exit from the Japanese market last year.
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