SYDNEY (AP) – A man portraying North Korean leader Kim Jong Un disrupted Australia’s election campaign on Friday when he rushed to an event attended by Prime Minister Scott Morrison along with MP Gladys Lew.
The satirist, who later became known by his stage name, Howard X, began speaking to the aggregate media.
“A thousand thanks. Gladys Liu is the Communist candidate in Australia,” he said before he was stopped by Morrison’s aide.
“Forgive me, you have to leave. “It’s the most offensive thing I’ve seen in a campaign,” said Nick Box, assistant.
The imitator replied, “Forgive me, you do not tell the supreme leader what to do. I support Gladys Lew.
The imitator soon left the post in Melbourne.
In a statement to the Associated Press, Liu said he was committed to delivering results to the Melbourne communities he represents.
“I will not spread my opponents and their rude tactics,” he said.
Liu was born in Hong Kong and has lived in Australia for over 30 years.
The delay appears to have been partially corrected by Queensland State Senate candidate Drew Paul, who told social media that he was a good friend of Howard X and that it was “one of the best things we’ve done.”
Paul had earlier said in the post that Liu defended the Chinese leadership and was related to the regime. Paul called himself a “young Larikin” who thought the election was tedious and needed more excitement.
Morrison praised the Australian Chinese at an event at Extel Technologies in Melbourne.
“I’m talking about the confident and aggressive nature of the Chinese government, not the Chinese people,” Morrison said. “You know, Australian Chinese are the greatest patriots you can count on in this country.”
The delay comes amid rising tensions between Australia and China over a recent security agreement signed by China in the Solomon Islands.
Howard X is famous for impersonating Kim Jong Un. In 2018, he was arrested and interrogated when he arrived in Singapore a few days before the summit of North Korean leader and US President Donald Trump. His real name is Lee Howard Ho Woon.
The media reported that the imitator was investigated by police on Friday.
Elections in Australia will be held on 21 May and early voting has already begun this week. Opinion polls show that the left-center Labor Party has an advantage over Morrison’s conservative coalition.
Source: Huffpost
