GGRAsia – Pansy Ho speech to support HK govt in UN session

Pansy Ho speech to support HK govt in UN session

Sep 09, 2019 Newsdesk Latest News, Macau, Top of the deck

Pansy Ho Chiu King, a high-profile shareholder in Macau casino operator MGM China Holdings Ltd and daughter of Macau former casino monopolist Stanley Ho Hung Sun, has lodged a speech with a United Nations body due to start a session on Monday, in support of the Hong Kong government’s handling of street protests there.

That is according to a document carried on the website of the United Nations Human Rights Council and seen by GGRAsia.

The speech attributed to Ms Pansy Ho (pictured in a file photo) has been lodged in her capacity as a representative of the Hong Kong Federation of Women.

Ms Pansy Ho is also co-chairperson and executive director of MGM China, and was instrumental in securing the current Macau gaming rights of MGM China.

“The views of a small group of radical protesters do not represent the views of all 7.5 million Hong Kongers. The systematic and calculated violent acts of this group have never been condoned by all Hong Kongers,” said the statement submitted to the UN Human Rights Council.

The council session in Geneva, Switzerland is due to begin on Monday (September 9) and run until September 27.

Ms Pansy Ho would not be the first Macau casino industry leader to express concern about the Hong Kong street protests. The protests have been linked to a now-withdrawn piece of legislation there permitting extradition of suspects to other jurisdictions, including mainland China.

Hong Kong has seen months of anti-government protests that have sometimes led to violent clashes with police. In August, the protests led to the temporary closure of the Hong Kong International Airport after thousands of protesters occupied its arrivals and departures halls.

Ms Pansy Ho’s brother Lawrence Ho Yau Lung, chairman and chief executive of Macau casino licensee Melco Resorts and Entertainment Ltd, has also spoken of his concern at the Hong Kong protests, as has Ambrose So Shu Fai, chief executive of Macau licensee SJM Holdings Ltd, according to media reports. The latter firm was founded by Mr Stanley Ho.

Macau’s visitor arrival tally for August maintained year-on-year growth despite concerns from the city’s travel industry that inbound group tours might be negatively affected by months of street protests in neighbouring Hong Kong, said the head of Macau’s tourism bureau last week.