Yeung Kwong | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Yeung Kwong at a rally in November 1967 | |||||||||||||
| Chairman of theHong Kong Federation of Trade Unions | |||||||||||||
| In office 1962–1980 | |||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Lee Sang | ||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Poon Kwong-wai | ||||||||||||
| President of theHong Kong Federation of Trade Unions | |||||||||||||
| In office 1980–1988 | |||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Chan Yiu-choi | ||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Lee Chark-tim | ||||||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||||||
| Born | 1926 (1926) Hong Kong | ||||||||||||
| Died | 16 May 2015(2015-05-16) (aged 88–89) Prince of Wales Hospital,Hong Kong | ||||||||||||
| Nationality | Chinese (Hong Kong) | ||||||||||||
| Political party | Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions | ||||||||||||
| Occupation | Trade unionist | ||||||||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 楊光 | ||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 杨光 | ||||||||||||
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Yeung KwongGBM (Chinese:楊光; 1926 – 16 May 2015) was aHong Kongtrade unionist andlabour rights activist. He served as chairman of theHong Kong Federation of Trade Unions (HKFTU) from 1962 to 1980 and as its president from 1980 to 1988. He played a leading role in the1967 Hong Kong riots againstBritish rule in Hong Kong.
Born in 1926, Yeung became a member of the Hong Kong Tramways Workers Union in 1948 and led strikes byHong Kong Tramway's fare conductors the following year.
He served as chairman of theHong Kong Federation of Trade Unions (FTU), the largestpro-Beijing labour union in Hong Kong, from 1962 to 1980, and then as its president between 1980 and 1988. From 1973 to 1987, he was a local deputy to theNational People's Congress.[1][2]
During the 1967 Hong Kong riots, which was inspired by theCultural Revolution and escalated from a labour dispute at a plastic-flower factory inSan Po Kong, Yeung served as director of theCommittee of Hong Kong and Kowloon Compatriots from All Circles for Struggle Against British Hong Kong Persecution. Thousands were injured and 51 died, 15 of whom were killed in bombings planted by the leftists.[1]
Nominated by the FTU, then Chief ExecutiveTung Chee-hwa awarded theGrand Bauhinia Medal, the highest honour in Hong Kong, to Yeung for his "outstanding contribution to the labour movement and labour welfare in Hong Kong and for his dedicated community service" in 2001.[1]
The award ceremony was held on 13 October 2001, and controversy immediately rose after the announcement, with many people believing that Tung, who was seekingre-election at the time, waspandering to the FTU, which is an important bloc of vote in the unique Chief Executive election system in Hong Kong.[3] Yeung had in 1996 and 2002 sat on theElection Committee that elected Tung as Chief Executive. Some critics asserted that Yeung was not suitable for the highest honour of the land. Critics argued the event was a symbolic gesture for approval of the 1967 riot.[3] Criticisms also came from victims of the riots and officials responsible for putting down the unrest, but the government declined to say if Yeung's "contributions" included what he did during the protests.[1]
"It is not a matter of who encouraged this kind of action [bomb attacks]. Oppression will result in popular revolt," Yeung responded, also replying that deaths and injuries were inevitable in the struggle when asked if he felt sorry for the victims.[1]
In the morning of 16 May 2015, Yeung died at thePrince of Wales Hospital inSha Tin after he underwent a heart operation. Acting Chief ExecutiveCarrie Lam sent her condolences to Yeung's family and praised him for his contributions to the labour movement.[1] Chief ExecutiveCY Leung, Secretary for Labour and WelfareMatthew Cheung and other senior officials including the Director of Beijing's Liaison OfficeZhang Xiaoming attended the funeral on 14 June 2015.[2]
Protesters gathered outside his funeral with banners in the memory of those who died at the hands of the leftists during the 1967 riots. Some brought champagne to celebrate his death, while others brought pineapples (a local metaphor for bombs and grenades) and cursed him.[2][4]
