The government official's incident has been named 'Loo paper-gate'
Hong Kong government official Carrie Lam who is running for Chief Executive has been ridiculed on social media for hunting down toilet paper.
During the first night in a downtown serviced apartment, away from her former state residence, Lam discovered there was no toilet paper. Instead of popping down to the nearest 24-hour supermarket near her Wan Chai apartment or any of the other 24-hour convenience stores, the Hong Kong politician ordered a taxi to her formal residence in the city’s exclusive Peak district to fetch more rolls.
“I have gone through many changes in life over the last few days. So I need to continue to learn and adapt to a new environment,” she was quoted as saying by the Hong Kong Free Press.
“I’m laughing so hard, I’m on the floor,” Twitter user Robhimx wrote.
Lam is currently Beijing’s top choice to be Hong Kong’s Chief Executive – the highest position. However, after her loo paper anecdote, many are questioning knowledge of the city whilst criticising her for being out of touch with common life.
The incident has been hashtagged #LooPaperGate (#廁紙門). Even Fellow Chief Executive candidate and former judge Wook Kwok-Hing coudln’t resist referencing the incident through his social media.
“No toilet paper?”, Woo wrote, “I have a joke question for you this morning, to see if you know how to adapt.”
“If you have no toilet paper at midnight, you would: (A) use your towels first; (B) go to your neighbours and ask ‘I’m so sorry, it’s very urgent, can I… (use your toilet?)”; (C) if you’re good with your neighbours, go downstairs and see if you can borrow some; (D) go to the convenience store and buy tissues (remember, they’re not toilet paper) (E) take a taxi to your official residence to get some, if you have an official residence.”
Martin Oei says: “Let me teach you — just take a taxi to Wellcome Supermarket, there’s a lot of toilet paper for you there.”
#林鄭月娥 膠唔膠啲，揸車去廿四小時營業嘅惠康，大把廁紙你買
惠康超級市場 Wellcome Supermarket
歡迎捐助本blog嘅運作：
香港恆生銀行：395-158777-882
Citibank Hong… https://t.co/Kvn4syw3gN— Martin Oei (@martinoei) January 22, 2017
According to the BBC one online commentator asked, “So, where did she get her toilet paper BEFORE she moved into the government house?”
‘Loo paper-gate’ isn’t Lam’s first “out of touch moment”. Last week she was also criticised for appearing not to know how to pass through a turnstile at a Hong Kong subway station after television footage showed her stopping at the turnstile, before an assistant tells her to walk through.
Lawyer and blogger Joseph Lam uploaded two parody videos referencing the potential Chief Executive’s blunders.
Former security chief Regina Ip was quizzed on her knowledge of Hong Kong transport during a live radio programme in which she proudly stated that she knew exactly how to use Octupus cards (pre-paid electronic cards) and how to walk through turnstiles.
The 2017 Hong Kong Chief Executive election is scheduled on 26 March 2017
Carrie Lam by Iris Tong