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Vision-impaired Chong Chan-yau has known Fernando Cheung for more than a decade and like Professor Kuan Hsin-chi, he is most touched by Cheung’s insistence on social justice. “Fernando always feels for the disadvantaged, in particular the disabled.” Chong also notices the many new ideas from overseas that Cheung brings to bear on legislative deliberations on helping the underprivileged. On Cheung’s work, Chong is most thankful for his tenacious efforts in the legislature:”such as on half-fare arrangements on public transport, barrier-free passageways for the disabled, special education etc., Fernando has worked very hard for us. Although half-fares on the two railways are still not in sight, the government’s attention has already been drawn and it has provided special transport subsidies. Indeed, certain legislators have even suggested lowering the requirements of barrier-free facilities, if not for Fernando’s ferocious objection, we might have suffered.” “The disabled constitute only a minority in society and the legislature can easily overlook our needs. We need someone to represent us and speak up for us.” Chong says Fernando Cheung performs precisely that role and injects concerns for the disabled among the sprawling mainstream agendas. In Chong’s view, Cheung does not treat the underprivileged as a minority, this is very precious in the realpolitik of the legislature. |