HONG KONG – Candidates running for Hong Kong’s Election Committee are hoping to elect competent patriots to administer the special administrative region, as the one-week nomination period for the 1,500-member committee opened on Friday.
The race will be the first major election under the city’s improved electoral system, which empowers the committee to nominate lawmaker candidates and elect 40 of its members to be lawmakers, in addition to its long-standing task of electing the city’s chief executive.
A poll on Sept 19 will elect about 1,000 members of the Election Committee, which comprises 40 subsectors under five sectors. The remaining seats will be filled by eligible local organizations, or ex officio participants.
The Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions, the city’s largest labor group, put up 50 members to run for the labor subsector.
By joining the race, the party hopes to elect reliable lawmakers to represent the welfare of the labor subsector, who can also uphold the principle of “patriots administrating Hong Kong” and ensure the stable implementation of the “one country, two systems” policy.
Business magnate Allan Zeman, chairman of the Lan Kwai Fong Group, registered to run in the election in the catering subsector. He hopes the city’s next chief executive can focus on solving the deep-seated housing problem, especially the problems caused by subdivided units.
Pansy Ho Chiu-king, chairperson of the Hong Kong Federation of Women, submitted an application to run in the subsector comprising Hong Kong members of eligible national organizations.
She said she will be looking for a chief executive who can offer better prospects for Hong Kong women, and help them seize opportunities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
Clarence Leung Wang-ching, vice-chairman of the All-China Youth Federation, said 34 people from the group had registered.
They want to bring more young people’s voices into the Election Committee, thus garnering more attention and support in society on young people’s development, Leung said.
After the nomination period ends on Thursday, all candidates’ eligibility will be reviewed by a designated body, led by the city’s chief secretary for administration, John Lee Ka-chiu.
The vetting body will announce the results on Aug 26 after scrutinizing the candidates to determine whether their pledges of allegiance to the HKSAR and the Basic Law are genuine, Lee told local media on Friday.
The body will examine candidates’ previous remarks and behavior, but it will not disqualify them simply for criticizing or opposing the HKSAR government, he stressed.
Criticism and dissatisfaction with the government are not prohibited, but intentions of endangering national security will never be allowed, Lee said.
Following the poll, the legislative election will be held on Dec 19. The chief executive election is slated for March 27.
bingcun@chinadailyhk.com