Regina Ip

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Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee (Traditional Chinese: 葉劉淑儀) was formerly a prominent government official of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).

She was the first woman to be appointed as Secretary for Security to head the disciplinary service. She was also the first principal official to resign from the administration of Tung Chee-hwa, former Chief Executive of Hong Kong, only one year into its operation.

1 Biography
2 Controversies
3 Personal life
4 References
5 See also

[edit] Biography

Educated at the University of Hong Kong (BA) and University of Glasgow (MLitt), Ip joined the Hong Kong Government in 1975 and started as an Administrative Officer. She took various bureaucratic positions before she was appointed Director of Industry Department in September 1995.

In August 1996, she was appointed Director of Immigration, a post usually filled by officials within the service. She held the same position after the handover. In July 1998, she was promoted as the Secretary of Security. Under her leadership were 63 000 civil servants, accounting for one third of the total Hong Kong civil service population.

As Tung's ministrial government started operation in 1 July 2002, she stayed on the position and became one of the 14 principal officials and a member of Executive Council.

The most notable work during her office was that she piloted the controversial bill of Article 23, which, had it passed, would have established the laws on treason and other national-security offences. Critics claimed that the bill would restrict the liberty of the people in Hong Kong. Well known for her sharp-tongue, Ip rebuffed critics at every turn and rejected calls for more consultation. Faced with the government's determination to force through the bill, half a million people marched in the streets of Hong Kong on 1 July, 2003 to denounce the it, Lacking popular support and also support within the Legislative Council, the government was finally forced to a humiliating retreat.

Ip submitted her resignation letter on 25 June 2003, citing personal reasons. She officially left her office on 25 July 2003, ending her 28 years government service.

After her resignation, Ip left Hong Kong to pursue a Master of Arts degree at Stanford University, with Larry Diamond as the supervisor. She returned to Hong Kong on 28 June, surprisingly changing tack, calling for universal suffrage in the Hong Kong by 2012. Her thesis, Hong Kong: Case Study in Democratic Development in Transitional Society, expresses admiration for a bicameral system, and suggests that political parties in Hong Kong be strengthened and more inclusive.

[edit] Controversies

A comic book caricature of Regina Ip.

Ip, formerly one of the highest-ranking women in the Hong Kong Government, said in a statement she deeply regretted that the legislative work to protect national security had not been completed as scheduled. Ip was at one time the most popular government official. She was highly praised for her industriousness and her accountability to Tung's government, but her blunt manner was behind her downfall. She has gone through many thorny issues, including prosecuting protesting students using the Public Order Ordinance and the right of abode saga.

She earned the esteem of many colleagues and even praise from Beijing's leaders. As Secretary for Security, she strongly defended the government's position in denying the rights of abode of the children of Hong Kong people born in mainland China since the 1997 handover.

Her popularity took a plunge when she took on the task to promote Hong Kong Basic Law Article 23, the state security bill, in September 2002. Her popularity began to ebb when one remark after another contradicted public sentiment. Aside from the concerns over the bill's potential threats to civil liberties, her responses to public bordered on insults, and many viewed them as arrogant and condescending. Her popularity ratings reached an all time low, being one of the lowest rated political figures at the peak of the Article 23 débacle.

Since 2002, she has become such a controversial figure that detractors resorted to taking shots at her bushy hairstyle, nicknaming her "Broomhead". She openly admitted that she although she disliked the nickname Broomhead (掃把頭), she would not change her hairstyle just to please her critics. As a ripost, she has been quoted as saying: "If I can't even defend my hairstyle, how can I defend Hong Kong?"

As of the year 2006, on her return from Stanford, she has changed her hairstyle and has set up a political think tank. There is mild media speculation that she may planning to run for the office of Hong Kong Chief Executive.

[edit] Personal life

Regina Ip is a single mother after her husband died. She was also involved in the dispute between other family members regarding the estate of her late father-in-law.