Chow accepts petition and candy

THE Occupy Central protest may have divided public opinion, but there have been instances when each side have shown respect for each other.

That was what happened when 88-year-old Yung Hoi-kei (翁開基), also known as Uncle Yung (翁伯), met 24-year-old Alex Chow Yong-kang (周永康), General Secretary (秘書長) of the Hong Kong Federation of Students (香港專上學生聯會).

Uncle Yung, a retired school social worker, had been asked by a friend’s son, Siu Ching-chung (蕭成忠), a Chinese medicine doctor, to join other residents of Central and Western District (中西區) in appealing to the students to give up the campaigning that has closed off parts of Central (中環), Causeway Bay (銅鑼灣) and Mong Kok (旺角) for weeks.

When Yung and Chow met outside the Office of the Chief Executive, they were overcome with emotion and both fell to their knees. Other students did likewise out of respect for the occasion.

Yung then handed a petition to Chow and shook his hand firmly, saying the students had shown their spirit but he hoped they would now abandon their campaign and return to their studies. Chow, head bowed, said “Yes, Yes, Yes” but made no commitment.

Siu handed the students a tin of candies with the message: “I wish you students can stay sweet. The candies are to comfort you all. I wish you all good health.”

(The Standard, 15 October 2014)