Kenneth Leung

Kenneth Leung Kai-cheong (Chinese: 梁繼昌; Jyutping: loeng4 gai3 coeng1; born 17 October 1962) is a democratic Hong Kong politician currently serving as a member of the Legislative Council for the Accountancy functional constituency. He is a founding member and vice-chairman of political think tank The Professional Commons, and a founding member of SynergyNet, a policy think tank. Professionally, he is a tax adviser.

For the American actor, see Ken Leung.

The Honourable

Kenneth Leung
梁繼昌
Member of the Legislative Council
Assumed office
1 October 2012
Preceded byPaul Chan
ConstituencyAccountancy
Personal details
Born (1962-10-17) 17 October 1962
Hong Kong
Nationality
Political partyProfessional Commons
EducationQueen's College
Alma materHong Kong Polytechnic (PD)
London School of Economics (BSc, LLM)
OccupationTax Consultant
Accountant
Signature

Education and background

Leung was born in Hong Kong and attended Queen's College. After taking a diploma in accountancy at Hong Kong Polytechnic, he studied at the London School of Economics and Political Science, earning a BSc in economics in 1987, and then an LL.M in 1992.

Leung holds the professional qualifications of FCPA, Chartered Accountant, UK Chartered Tax Adviser, and Hong Kong Certified Tax Adviser. He is also a solicitor, admitted in Hong Kong (in 1997) and in England and Wales.[1]

Political career

Leung's first electoral successes were in the accountancy sub-sector of the Election Committee for the Chief Executive. In a 2005 by-election he secured a seat. The following year, he was re-elected with the second-most votes amongst the 20 successful candidates. He nominated democrats Lee Wing-tat and Alan Leong respectively in the 2005 and 2007 Chief Executive Elections. In 2011, all nine members of his "Democratic Accountants" team won in the sub-sector. He nominated Albert Ho to take part in the Chief Executive election in 2012.

In the 2012 LegCo election he won in the Accountancy constituency, securing 47% of the vote, and held the seat until 2020.[2][3]

Disqualification in 2020 election

Five weeks ahead of the 2020 Hong Kong Legislative Council Election, on 30 July, the government stated that Leung was among a dozen pro-democracy candidates whose nominations were 'invalid', under an opaque process in which, nominally, civil servants - returning officers - assess whether, for instance, a candidate had objected to the enactment of the national security law, or was sincere in statements made disavowing separatism.[4][5]

Controversies

In 2013, Leung was one of eight legislators treated by Cathay Pacific to a six-day trip to France to tour Airbus factories. In response to the public outcry and the perception of a conflict of interest, Leung stated that he would donate HK$100,000 to UNICEF, but refused to apologise.[6]

In March 2017, Kenneth Leung was sued by CY Leung, the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, for alleged defamation. Kenneth Leung has made remarks about the $50 million payment that CY Leung received from an Australian firm in 2011 for signing a non-compete agreement, claiming that CY Leung was under investigation by overseas tax authorities for that payment, which CY Leung denied. According to the SCMP, Kenneth Leung said that the lawsuit "would not stop him from continuing with a Legislative Council investigation into the payment controversy".[7]

Professional career

Leung has been voted among the world's 250 top tax advisers since 2008.[8]

Other government and professional activities

As of 2013, Leung is a member of the Hong Kong Housing Authority (since 2007),[9] the Independent Police Complaints Council (since 2011),[10] and the Estate Agents Authority (since 2010).[11] He has previously been a member of the Inland Revenue Board of Review and the Estate Agents Authority's Disciplinary Committee.

Leung has also held roles in a number of industry and professional groups, He was vice-chairman of the Taxation Policy Committee of The Taxation Institute of Hong Kong before rising to the chairmanship in 2008.[12] He has been the vice-chairman of The Professional Commons since 2007.[13] He is a member of the Joint Liaison Committee on Taxation (since 2007) and the tax sub-committee of the Hong Kong chapter of the Alternative Investment Management Association, Hong Kong Chapter (since 2007).[14]

He has published articles in international professional journals including International Tax Review, Asia-Pacific Journal of Taxation, China Tax, and China Staff. He is a regular contributor to the column in Hong Kong Economic Journal, the Professional Eye.

Personal life

Leung is married.[6] He is short-sighted, with one eye much worse than the other. In 2013, doctors found damage to the retina of his right eye, which if it worsened could have led to retinal detachment, and he underwent surgery to correct the problem.[15]

References
  1. "Hong Kong chief executive Leung Chun-ying sues lawmaker for defamation". South China Morning Post. 6 March 2017.
  2. "Introduction to Candidates: Leung Kai-cheong Kenneth" (PDF). Hong Kong: Electoral Affairs Commission. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  3. "Election Results: Accountancy". Hong Kong: Electoral Affairs Commission. 10 September 2012. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  4. Press, Hong Kong Free (30 July 2020). "Hong Kong bans Joshua Wong and 11 other pro-democracy figures from legislative election". Hong Kong Free Press HKFP. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  5. "Twelve pro-democracy figures barred from Legco poll". RTHK. 30 July 2020.
  6. "梁繼昌捐10萬拒道歉 (Leung Kai-cheong will donate $100k, refuses to apologise)". Ming Pao. 25 August 2013. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  7. Hong Kong chief executive Leung Chun-ying sues lawmaker for defamation, SCMP, 6 Mar, 2017
  8. Tax Directors' Handbook. Retrieved on 24 August 2011.
  9. Hong Kong Housing Authority. Retrieved on 24 August 2011.
  10. Independent Police Complaints Council . Retrieved on 24 August 2011.
  11. Estate Agent Authority. Retrieved on 24 August 2011.
  12. The Taxation Institute of Hong Kong. Retrieved on 24 August 2011.
  13. The Professional Commons. Retrieved on 24 August 2011.
  14. The Alternative Investment Management Association, Hong Kong Chapter Archived 8 July 2012 at Archive.today. Retrieved on 24 August 2011.
  15. "梁繼昌扮酷有苦衷". Ming Pao. 13 August 2013. Archived from the original on 26 July 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2013.
Legislative Council of Hong Kong
Preceded by
Paul Chan		 Member of Legislative Council
Representative for Accountancy
2012–present		 Incumbent
Order of precedence
Preceded by
Leung Che-cheung
Member of the Legislative Council		 Hong Kong order of precedence
Member of the Legislative Council		 Succeeded by
Alice Mak
Member of the Legislative Council
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