It looks like Chief Executive hopeful Regina Ip’s mission to “win back Hong Kong” is going to be a long and arduous one, after the staunchly pro-Beijing politician’s attempt to appear empathetic towards citizens living in cramped, inhumane conditions went horribly awry.
During a visit to “Trapped”, an exhibition on Hong Kong’s housing crisis by the Society for Community Organization, Ip climbed into a mock “coffin home” for reporters. Also present was fellow C.E. candidate Woo Kwok-hing, who declined to do the same, and was subsequently mocked by Ip for being “too big”, according to the SCMP.
Ip (L) and Woo (C) sitting in front of a mock coffin home at the SoCo 269 gallery in Sham Shui Po. Photo: Regina Ip via Facebook
Soon after articles from the event were posted online, netizens began sharing pictures of Ip which were edited to look like she was in an actual coffin, at her own funeral. In fairness to them, after last month’s R.IP debacle — during which internet-savvy Hongkongers doctored Ip’s campaign posters to spell out Hong Kong’s death — creating this macabre meme was probably like shooting fish in a barrel.
Coffin cubicles are separate, casket-sized units converted from already-small subdivided flats. The units, often found in Sham Shui Po, are usually built in stacks of three or more levels to maximise “space”. Occupants of the upper levels have to climb up and down ladders. They can neither stand up nor sit inside the units. But don’t just take it from us — let Regina show you:
Photo: Chiu Kai Wong via Facebook
If you’re running for Chief Executive, it appears more ornate and spacious styles are also available:
Photo: Chiu Kai Wong via Facebook
One particularly irreverent iteration saw Ip photoshopped to appear like a dolls made of joss paper, which are commonly burned at traditional Chinese funerals.
Photo: Keyboard Frontline via Facebook
R.IP.
More info on “Trapped” available here.
Related articles:
Reader Interactions