Ma Lik

Ma Lik , born in Guangzhou, Guangdong with family roots in Xiamen, Fujian, was a , and was the Chairman of the Democratic Alliance for Betterment of Hong Kong , a pro-Beijing political party in Hong Kong.

Biography

Ma attended the Pui Kiu Middle School, graduated with a Bachelor's degree from the Department of from United College, Chinese University of Hong Kong. He was a teacher in Sun Kiu Middle School, a Pro-Chinese Communist Party secondary school in Hong Kong. the Deputy Publisher of the ''Hong Kong Commercial Daily'', and a local Deputy to the National People's Congress

Ma was formerly the Secretary General of the DAB, and became the Chairman of the DAB in December 2003 Chairman, Mr. Jasper Tsang Yok-sing resigned following the poor performance of the party in the November 2003 elections in which the pro-democratic camp won 150 seats, while DAB secured only 62 seats out of the 205 DAB candidates fielded. Ma was re-elected leader on 25 April 2007.

Ma served in the Promotion Steering Committee, Hong Kong Cheshire Home Foundation, and Committee on the Promotion of Civic Education. He was formerly the Chief Editor of the Hong Kong Commercial Daily, Deputy Secretary General of the Basic Law Consultative Committee, Director of Treasure Land International Property Consultants, General Manager of The Hong Kong Institute for Promotion of Chinese Culture, and member of the Selection Committee for the First Government of HKSAR. He left for treatment in Guangzhou soon after the Tiananmen controversy he sparked. He died on 8 August 2007 at 2pm in Guangzhou Sun Yat-sen University. His body was transported back to Hong Kong on 11 August 2007. The funeral was held on 23 August. He was according to his wishes.

Ma's death precipitated the Hong Kong Island by-election, 2007, which was won by Anson Chan on 2 December 2007.

Tiananmen Square Massacre denial furore

On 15 May 2007, during an informal meeting Ma had with journalists to discuss political reform, Ma was asked on his views on the "''''". Ma caused huge furore which hit radio broadcasts, the front pages and editorials of several of the local newspapers, which cited him denying that clampdown of the protesters was a "massacre".

He said of 4000 students at the scene, not everyone got killed; certain student leaders, namely Chai Ling, Wuerkaixi, Feng Chungde, and Hou Dejian, were able to leave the protest site without incident, therefore it is not a massacre. and asserted that Hong Kong was "not mature enough", for believing a massacre took place. Hong Kong lacked patriotism and national identity, and would thus not be ready for universal suffrage until 2022.. He said that "facts written in blood cannot be twisted by lies"

The day after the remarks appeared in the headlines, Ma attended an RTHK radio phone-in, where he apologised for making "frivolous and giddy" remarks. Ma claimed he was merely trying to bring the rash claims about the number and manner of deaths reported in the foreign press into proper perspective. He stopped short of apologising for his comments in general.

One DAB Vice Chairman Tam Yiu Chung defended Ma, but questioned the timing: "people will understand it gradually". Another CPPCC member, Chang Ka-mun, chimed in, saying it was "irrational" to compare 4 June to the Nanjing massacre.

The Central committee of the DAB declined any further action after their meeting on 22 May, stating that Vice-Chairman Lau's response was adequate. There was no formal apology.

The annual vigil in memory of Tiananmen attracted an increased turnout in 2007. An estimated 55,000 people, more than a few of whom appear to have been spurred to attend by Ma's comments, packed , up from 44,000 one year earlier.

Possible motives

Political observers noted how some newspapers carried his remarks prominently on the front page, whilst others failed to mention them in their columns at all. Privately, some journalists stated that they thought Ma was sincere, yet they felt sorry that he was committing political suicide.

Analysts began commenting that Ma's remarks may be part of a concerted propaganda attempt by Beijing to dampen expectations for universal suffrage. Beijing is apparently fearful of the forthcoming debate over constitutional development in Hong Kong. The timing of the above statement by NPC Chairman Wu Bangguo at to a NPC deputies' meeting in March 2007, is considered important, as Donald Tsang promised a green paper on electoral reform would be published in the summer.

More recently, some local loyalists have issued statements pushing back the date for universal suffrage. Most notably, Cheng Yiu-tong ruled out direct elections for the in 2012

Other controversies

Anti-RTHK

In 20 October 1999 the pro-Beijing group fiercely attacked . Ma Lik publicly attacked RTHK from changing the role from a "watchdog" to a "mouthpiece" of the Hong Kong government.

Criticising Hong Kong

Ma Lik criticised the rate at which Hong Kong is moving. And that it would take until 2022 for the public to have acquired enough patriotism to accept rule.

Other Maliks

Confusingly, there are five to six people with the Chinese name 馬力 in the DAB. Apart from this Ma Lik, the others have the English name Malik and are of origin. One of them was appointed as a . He was not reappointed after a member of his staff accused him of sexual harassment.