Andrew Cheng Kar-foo (Chinese: 鄭家富) (born 28 April 1960 in Hong Kong) was a Hong Kong politician and solicitor. He is a former Democratic Party member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong representing the New Territories East geographical constituency.

Andrew Cheng Kar-foo
鄭家富
Cheng attended a radio programme D100 in Mong Kok.
Member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong
In office
1 July 1998 – 30 September 2012
Preceded byNew parliament
Succeeded byFernando Cheung
ConstituencyNew Territories East
In office
11 October 1995 – 30 June 1997
Preceded byNew constituency
Succeeded byParliament abolished
ConstituencyFinancial, Insurance, Real Estate and Business Services
Personal details
Born (1960-04-28) 28 April 1960 (age 64)
Hong Kong
NationalityChinese (Hong Kong)
Political partyIndependent
Other political
affiliations
Democratic Party (1994–2010)
Meeting Point (until 1994)
SpouseChan Kwai-ying
Alma materUniversity of New South Wales
OccupationSolicitor
Websitehttp://www.chengkarfoo.org
Andrew Cheng
Traditional Chinese鄭家富
Transcriptions
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationJihng Gā fu
JyutpingZeng6 Gaa1 fu3

Biography

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He was a founder member of the Democratic Party, previously a member of the Meeting Point. He was a member of Southern District Council (representing Ap Lei Chau Estate) between 1994–99 and of Tai Po District Council (representing Tai Po Central) from 1999 to 2011.

Cheng was first elected to the Legislative Council in 1995 representing the Financial, Insurance, Real Estate and Business Services constituency but left the council when it was replaced by the Provisional Legislative Council in July 1997.[citation needed]

He was elected to represent the New Territories East constituency in 1998 and won re-election in 2000, 2004 and 2008.[citation needed]

In June 2010, Cheng publicly pondered his moral dilemma in supporting the vote in support of the revised electoral reform proposals put forward by the government and backed by the Democratic Party. The proposal draw unprecedented controversy in the pan-democratic camp as the leaders of the Democratic Party had met with and sought approval from the officials of the Central Government Liaison Office.[citation needed]

He subsequently decided to vote against the proposals, and announced in his Legco speech that he would quit the party because "small, but critical differences of opinion" prevented him from fulfilling his election pledge to strive for universal suffrage in 2012.[1]

Cheng stood down at the 2012 election, in which he supported several pan-democratic candidates in New Territories East. He helped Gary Fan, who stood second in his list in previous elections and also quit the Democratic Party owing to disagreement over the 2010 electoral reform proposals, of Neo Democrats to win a seat in the constituency. He joined D100 as a radio host after retiring from the Legislative Council.[2]

Although once denied rejoining electoral politics, Cheng changed his mind and contested the 2016 legislative election in New Territories East. He lost the bid with only 3.08% support. Three of Neo Democrat's Shatin District Councillors defected from Gary Fan to Cheng on the election day; they were subsequently dismissed from the party for Fan's failure in re-election.[3]

Personal life

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Cheng is married to Chan Kwai-ying, who is a cousin of his fellow Democrat Wong Sing-chi, and is a father of two.

References

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  1. ^ Wong, Albert (24 June 2010) "Electoral reform row makes one Democrat a quitter, others bitter", South China Morning Post
  2. ^ "This newspaper strongly condemns malicious misleading and slander". Wen Wei Po. 26 June 2019.
  3. ^ Leung, Stanley (8 September 2016). "Defections within his party led to loss to pro-estab. candidate, says Neo Democrat Gary Fan". Hong Kong Free Press.
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Legislative Council of Hong Kong
New constituency Member of Legislative Council
Representative for Financial, Insurance, Real Estate and Business Services
1995–1997
Replaced by Provisional Legislative Council
New parliament Member of Legislative Council
Representative for New Territories East
1998–2012
Succeeded by