Lawmaker apologises for alleging booksellers were arrested for patronising sex workers

Following the disappearance of bookseller Lee Bo, rumours of the reasons behind Lee and his four colleagues’ vanishing acts have led to unsubstantiated theories becoming dime a dozen.

Pro-government lawmaker Ng Leung-sing has publicly apologised for insinuating Lee and his fellow colleagues were arrested for entering mainland China illegally to visit prostitutes. In a LegCo meeting on Tuesday, Ng reportedly said that “an old friend in the business sector” told him “the five ‘bookstore guys’ were rumoured to have taken illegal boats […] into the mainland to frequent sex workers.” 

Ng added that the men were apparently arrested by Chinese police separately, with video evidence, HKFP reports. He also claimed that Lee Bo’s wife, Sophie Choi, withdrew her missing person report from the police as a result.

Another theory is that Lee and his colleagues have been detained due to their work publishing books that are banned in mainland China.

Ng’s allegations drew widespread criticism, with fellow lawmaker Raymond Chan dismissing the speculation as “internet rumours”, and warning Ng that he would get “hit by lightning walking on the street by making such accusations”, according to the SCMP. Seems unlikely, but hey-ho.

Choi also hit out at Ng, saying she reserved the right to take legal action against him for slander, calling his comments “irresponsible”. 

“I solemnly apologise to Mr Lee and Mrs Lee for mentioning the part involving the moral issues without verification,” Ng said as an apology. 

However, he maintained that he was providing an alternative theory to the popular belief that Lee was abducted by mainland agents in Hong Kong, saying he was letting Hong Kong people know about the illegal practice of entering the mainland via an illegal boat.

This isn’t the first time Ng’s remarks in legislative meetings have raised a few eyebrows in recent months. In October, he commented that drinking water with excessive amounts of lead in could be healthy, and suggesting that “an appropriate level of lead […] [could] strengthen one’s health and extend life”.

Hmm. Free speech, right?

Related articles:

Britain ‘concerned’ at missing Hong Kong booksellers, one of them British

Reports: wife of missing bookseller says he’s made contact, withdraws police report

4 missing from Hong Kong publisher known for its scandalous books on Chinese officials

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