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Maverick radical activist becomes HK lawmaker

``Longhair'' Leung Kwok-hung raises his arms in victory after officials announced he had easily scored a win by racking up 60,925 votes in Hong Kong's legislative elections. PHOTO: AP

The best-known radical activist in Hong Kong won election as a lawmaker -- a stunning triumph for dissent that will let him heckle the government from inside the halls of power rather than outside, official results showed yesterday.

"Longhair" Leung Kwok-hung (梁國雄) raised his arms in victory as officials announced he had easily scored a win by racking up 60,925 votes. Leung finished a comfortable fourth in a suburban district that chose seven lawmakers.

Supporters cheered with delight as Leung took the stage with other winners from Sunday's races, decked out in his trademark Che Guevara T-shirt. He vows to wear it in the Legislative Council even though the dress code forbids such casual attire.

"Just call me Longhair -- no need to call me Legislator Long-hair," Leung told his fans.

He vowed to lend a populist hand to Hong Kong's working class, who often feel left behind by the territory's rich and powerful.

Leung voted for himself first thing Sunday, then rushed across town to do what he's always done best -- staking out a prime position to shout at Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa (董建華) as Tung cast his own ballot.

Leung has been a regular protester since the days of British colonialism. He regularly appears outside official events to chant slogans, wave signs, burn flags and carry a mock coffin symbolizing those killed when China used troops to crack down on the Tiananmen Square pro-democracy movement on June 4, 1989.

His nickname comes from his long hair, which has been cropped from time to time by the regulation jailhouse buzz cut whenever he has been locked up for protest antics.

In another attack on the establishment during Sunday's polling, Leung later tried to portray a pro-business candidate, James Tien (田北俊), as being out of touch with the concerns of working Hong Kongers.

Leung approached Tien with a banana, hoping to put the wealthy businessman on the spot by asking if he knew how much it costs in a market. But Tien's aides stopped the banana-wielding Leung before he could get close enough to the candidate.
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