Tributes pour in to mourn HK's first CE Tung Chee-hwa passing

The city's first Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa passed away earlier this month at the age of 89.

Hong Kong leaders, political heavyweights, tycoons and community dignitaries paid their final tribute at the Hong Kong Funeral Home in North Point today.

The Home Affairs Department has also set up an extra public mourning area in the North Point Government Offices for citizens to pay their respects.

The funeral of Hong Kong's first Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa after the SAR's 1997 handover, who is also the Vice-Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, is held at the Hong Kong Funeral Home in North Point.

Mourning the loss at the site includes Leung Chun-ying, Deputy Director of the Funeral Committee and also the Vice-Chairman of the CPPCC, Chief Executive John Lee, and Director of Beijing's Liaison Office in Hong Kong Zhou Ji, Chief Secretary for Administration Chan Kwok-ki Former Chief Executives Donald Tsang, Carrie Lam Arthur Li and David Li and Tam Yiu-chung.

Tam, who's also part of Tung's funeral committee, says the former city leader had tried his best in his duty especially when he helmed the city during the transition period both politically -- and amid the 1997-8 Asian Financial Crisis, noting his deep patriotism and contribution to the SAR and the nation.

Also bidding their final farewell are representatives from political and business sectors, including Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak, Former Secretary for Home Affairs Patrick Ho, Solina Chau, Director of Li Ka Shing Foundation, Sun Hung Kai Properties' Thomas Kwok and Raymond Kwok and Gordon Wu, Chairman of Hopewell Holdings.

Tributes poured in too from various sectors -- all the way to the park nearby.

At the North Point Government Offices near the funeral parlour, the government has set up a public mourning area for citizens to pay their last respects.

The other three condolence points are located in Kai Tak, Tsuen Wan and Causeway Bay.

Former lawmaker Frederick Fung recounted how Tung worked to tap public opinions and even when he was part of a smaller party with just one seat at LegCo, Tung invited the party for talks every year.

Tung Chee-hwa passed away on September 8th due to illness at the age of 89.