Tommy Cheung

Career

He graduated from the Diocesan Boys' School and Pepperdine University. He was previously a member of the Eastern District Council. He is a businessman, chairman of a trading and investment company, and a member of the Diocesan Boys' School school committee.

Legislative Councillor

In late 2005, when there were strong concerns regarding a potential "bird flu" pandemic, Cheung became "an outspoken opponent of migratory birds". He stated that migrating birds were the source of the pandemic threat.

On 20 March 2010, after Cheung suggested a minimum wage of HK$20/hour, he became the subject of insults and derision from labour quarters, nicknamed "$20 Cheung".

During the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, Cheung spoke out against the government's extension of mandatory social distancing measures. He complained that catering constituents were suffering due to mandatory closures of some types of businesses, such as bars and karaoke centres, and accused the government of "not understanding economics".

In January 2021, Cheung partially blamed teachers for the 2019–20 Hong Kong protests and that CCTV cameras should be installed in classrooms to monitor teachers for "subversive remarks."

In December 2022, Cheung was one of three lawmakers who drafted legislation to reform CUHK's governing council, saying "During the anti-government turmoil in 2019, there was a riot on the campus of CUHK but the attitude and handling of the incident by CUHK were appalling.

In December 2022, Cheung said "We need to take action to correct such behaviour that is this disrespectful to Hong Kong and to our country" and that he would support summing Google to the Legislative Council, to answer questions on why Glory to Hong Kong was ranked so highly when searching for the national anthem of Hong Kong. At the same month, he was tested positive for COVID-19.

In September 2023, Cheung drew criticism after he helped push a bill to revamp Chinese University's governing council without the school's endorsement, with former lawmaker Abraham Shek asking "They should table the bill with the university’s endorsement. Why do they have to be that authoritarian?"

Cheung retired in 2025 amidst a massive wave of retirement.

Chairman of the Liberal Party

Cheung was elected Liberal Party's new chairman after the 2016 Legislative Council election in October. The new leadership was seen as more moderate and conservative with less vocal anti-Leung Chun-ying (pro-government, but anti-Leung) stance. Cheung was subsequently appointed by Leung to the Executive Council. Cheung was reappointed to the Executive Council successively by Carrie Lam and John Lee.

Cheung voted against paternity leave when it was introduced to the Employment Ordinance in 2015. In 2018, he opposed the Hong Kong government proposal to increase statutory paternity leave from three to five days, claiming the benefit itself should not even exist, as demands for more would be "never-ending". Cheung said that "back in the 1980s" there was no legally mandated paternal leave, but many companies would still grant "white days" for funerals and "red days" for auspicious events such as births and marriages without the need for "inflexible" labour laws requiring them to do so. Cheung's remarks attracted a lot of criticism, including by Ng Chau-pei of the pro-Beijing Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions, who described Cheung as taking part in a "barbaric form of capitalism". Another Executive Councillor, New People's Party chairwoman Regina Ip agreed members should avoid publicly criticising the government.

References

References

1. [http://www.tommycheung.com/profile_eng.htm Profile of Tommy Cheung] {{Webarchive. link. (5 September 2008)
2. [http://www.legco.gov.hk/general/english/members/yr04-08/cyy.htm Hon Tommy CHEUNG Yu-yan, SBS, JP] {{Webarchive. link. (26 February 2008)
3. "An official list of DBS school committee members".
4. "Archived copy".
5. South China Morning Post. "[http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=35ace746f79c7210VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&ss=Hong+Kong&s=News SCMP]." ''Young critics heckle Liberal lawmaker.'' Retrieved on 5 April 2010.
6. (21 April 2020). "Lawmaker blasts govt for extending Covid-19 curbs". RTHK.
7. (2021-01-22). "Hong Kong lawmakers push for surveillance cameras in classrooms".
8. (2022-12-17). "Hong Kong may stop buying Google adverts unless national anthem row is resolved".
9. (21 December 2022). "張宇人確診 今年累計34宗議員感染".
10. (2023-09-02). "Hong Kong should 'respect procedural justice', ex-lawmaker Abraham Razack says".
11. (7 October 2016). "是否繼續「ABC」反梁 自由黨鬧分歧". HK01.
12. (25 November 2016). "Hong Kong leader appoints two new cabinet members just four months from leadership race". South China Morning Post.
13. (9 August 2018). "Mandatory paternity leave for Hongkongers a mistake as city has dire shortage of workers, pro-establishment lawmaker says". South China Morning Post.
14. (11 August 2018). "Hong Kong lawmaker who called mandatory paternity leave a mistake criticised by colleagues for attacking government plan". South China Morning Post.