Junius Ho

Anti-gay remarks

Ho has made controversial anti-gay statements. In late April 2017, following a lawsuit on government benefits for civil workers who are in a same-sex relationship, Ho said that legalisation of same-sex marriage in Hong Kong would lead to acceptance of bestiality and incest.^[15]

Fellow LegCo member Raymond Chan Chi-chuen, who is openly gay, condemned Ho's comments, and said those who sincerely hold such thoughts should seek professional help.^[15] Holden Chow, also a member of LegCo, also criticised Ho's remarks, stating that he did not need to be so extreme in his comments.^[15] Prominent lawyer, Kevin Yam, criticised Ho's linking of bestiality with homosexuality as "a vile form of homophobia", while Ho riposted that his remarks were taken out of context and that criticism was a personal attack on him because of his political views.^[16][17]

In May 2017, Ho said that a ruling granting marriage benefits to a gay civil servant could lead to "chaos in society" and co-signed a petition asking the government to appeal the decision.^[18]

Views on 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre

On June 2017, Junius Ho became the only pro-Beijing lawmaker to vote in favour of a motion to “never forget” the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre at the Legislative Council. He expressed sympathy for the Chinese students before the People’s Liberation Army crackdown.^[19]

Demanding the removal of Benny Tai

In August 2017, Ho called for the removal of Occupy Central co-founder Benny Tai, who as of 2017, is facing charges of inciting others to create public nuisance, from working at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) for the social unrest and pro-independence sentiment, but rejected by the HKU Vice-Chancellor Peter Mathieson and HKU Council chairman Arthur Li. Ho submitted a petition with over 80,000 signatures urging the University of Hong Kong to investigate Tai and organise a rally on September 17 calling for his removal.^[20][21][22] Ho himself acknowledges that the number of online-signatures is unverifiable.^[23] As to the legality of the rally, Ronny Tong Ka-wah pointed out that the Public Order Ordinance could have been violated.^[24]

Interview of Junius Ho by pro-establishment media Speak Out HK, HKG Pao and Silent Majority for Hong Kong.

"Kill mercilessly" anti-Hong Kong independence comment

Ho in 2018.

In September 2017, Ho said supporters of Hong Kong independence need to be "killed mercilessly". He made the comments both at a rally which he organised to demand that the University of Hong Kong to fire Benny Tai. He stated that it was "not big deal to kill pigs or dogs", and also appeared on a Commercial Radio programme, where he said of pro-independence activists, "why shouldn’t these people be killed?" Faced with criticism, Ho responded, "If we’re talking about Hong Kong independence, that means war. What’s wrong with killing enemies in a war?"^[25]

Ho's remarks were condemned by figures on all sides of the political spectrum. Senior Counsel Ronny Tong said that Ho's comments may have violated the Public Order Ordinance. Chief executive Carrie Lam, who is anti-independence, alluded to Ho's comments after she stated on 19 September that "unacceptably cruel, insulting and intimidating comments" had no place in a civilised society.^[26] Executive Council member Regina Ip called Ho's remarks "stupid", and continued, "It will do our country no good to have stupid 'patriots', including possibly quite a few hired to become 'patriots'."^[27] The 22 lawmakers from the Pro-democracy camp issued a joint statement condemning Ho’s remarks: “Ho, as a legislator and lawyer, expressed hate speech involving murder at a public event, crossing the bottom lines of free speech and morality and severely breaching professional conduct.” ^[28]

Junius Ho Kwan-yiu in 2018

Ho maintained that he was expressing his contempt towards the evil of pro-independence movement, and said that the journalists should not take his words out of context.^[25]

False qualification allegation

In September 2017 during the controversy caused by Ho's "killed mercilessly" comment, there are reports concerning his legal qualifications in England and Wales and Singapore, as a letter responding to a complainant regarding to Ho's controversial remarks as a solicitor by the Solicitors Regulation Authority writes that Ho's name does not exist in the authority's record. “According to our records, Mr Ho is not a solicitor and is not admitted in England and Wales." Ho stated in his election pamphlet for the Legislative Council election in 2016 that he was a "solicitor in Singapore, England and Wales". Ho responded to that by explaining that he had obtained the right to practise but did not practise in the UK.^[4]

Business

• Committee member of Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce in China – Guangdong
• Arbitrator of Wuhan International Arbitration Court and Zhengzhou Arbitration Commission
• Consultant of Guangzhou Municipal Board for International Investment

Charity

• Chairman of Yan Oi Tong (1996–1997)^[29]
• Advisory board member of Yan Oi Tong (1997 to present)^[30]
• Member of Concerted Efforts Resource Centre
• Honorary President of 2011–2012 Tuen Mun West District, New Territories Region, Scout Association of Hong Kong
• Vice-President of 2009–2012 Yuen Long Western District, New Territories Region, Scout Association of Hong Kong^[31]

Community

• Chairman of the Mainland Legal Affairs of the Law Society of Hong Kong
• Chairman of Product Eco-responsibility Appeal Board Panel^[32]
• Rotated Chairman of Duty Lawyer Service Council in 2005 and 2007
• Founder of Butterflyers Association Ltd in Tuen Mun in 2011^[33]

Political

• Indigenous Village Representative of Leung Tin Tsuen^[34]
• Chairman of Tuen Mun Rural Committee
• Founded the Protect Central Group in September 2014 in opposition to Occupy Central with Love and Peace.^[35]