葉國謙

English

Ip Kwok-him, who holds the Grand Bauhinia Medal, the Gold Bauhinia Star and is a Justice of the Peace, was born on 8 November 1951 with roots in Hua County, Guangdong, and graduated from South China Normal University. He is a Hong Kong pro-establishment politician and former legislator. He took part in founding the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong (later the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, DAB) in 1992, is one of its founding members, and has served as a vice-chairman of the party and convenor of its Legislative Council caucus, being one of the core figures of the pro-establishment camp. He entered community service in the mid-to-late 1980s and was elected a Central and Western district councillor in 1991, beginning a district council career of several decades serving the Kwun Lung constituency, though he lost the 2003 District Council election, won the seat back in 2007 and stood down in 2015. As regards the legislature, he was a member of the Provisional Legislative Council from 1996 to 1998, was elected in 2000 for the district council functional constituency, and was returned in 2008 and 2012 for the District Council (First) functional constituency, serving until 2016. He was also a Hong Kong deputy to the National People's Congress and has been an unofficial member of the Executive Council since 2016. In and outside the council he has followed issues such as the Basic Law, constitutional development and national security, and is one of the core figures of the pro-establishment camp. He remains active in public affairs and has been recognised by a university for his long service to the community and the public.