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Saturday, Feb 22, 2025
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Democratic Party denies 'making things difficult'
The Democratic Party has rejected claims that it was making things difficult for the four non-pro-establishment candidates in next month's Legislative Council elections when asking them for their stance on sensitive political issues before offering support.
After the four wrote to ask for support from the party earlier this month, the largest pro-democracy party asked them to take a stance on issues including the revamped electoral system, the enactment of Basic Law Article 23, police brutality and the HK$642 billion Lantau Tomorrow mega-development plan.
Party chairman Lo Kin-hei said that he and his partymates needed to know the philosophy of the candidates they are supporting.
"I do not want my partymates to be supporting someone that has a belief completely opposite to ours. This is a necessary procedure if party members want to support someone outside of the party, and the procedure has been used since a long time ago," Lo said.
One of the four candidates, Tsuen Wan district councillor Adrian Lau Cheuk-yu who will be running in the New Territories South West geographical constituency, said he hopes he could gather support from across the spectrum of the pro-democracy camp.
"The Democratic Party is the biggest party within the pro-democracy camp, therefore seeking their support is very logical, and I hope I can prevent the legislature from being one that lacks plurality in voices," Lau said.
Competing against Lau are pro-establishment Ben Chan Han-pan from the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong and Joephy Chan Wing-yan from the Federation of Trade Unions.
In an election forum yesterday morning, DAB's Edmund Wong Chun-sek, running in the accountancy functional constituency, was asked about his right of abode in the United Kingdom and Canada.
Wong said his right of abode will not undermine his work in Legco once he is elected, and the Candidate Eligibility Review Committee has confirmed his eligibility.
Meanwhile, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po yesterday said that future legislators will be able to help the government better formulate policies, given their diverse backgrounds and interests.
More than 150 candidates are vying for 90 seats in the December 19 election, which Chan claimed was "balanced participation."
He added: "Regardless, I believe there will be familiar faces in the new Legco, as well as new blood joining."
Party chairman Lo Kin-hei said that he and his partymates needed to know the philosophy of the candidates they are supporting.
"I do not want my partymates to be supporting someone that has a belief completely opposite to ours. This is a necessary procedure if party members want to support someone outside of the party, and the procedure has been used since a long time ago," Lo said.
One of the four candidates, Tsuen Wan district councillor Adrian Lau Cheuk-yu who will be running in the New Territories South West geographical constituency, said he hopes he could gather support from across the spectrum of the pro-democracy camp.
"The Democratic Party is the biggest party within the pro-democracy camp, therefore seeking their support is very logical, and I hope I can prevent the legislature from being one that lacks plurality in voices," Lau said.
Competing against Lau are pro-establishment Ben Chan Han-pan from the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong and Joephy Chan Wing-yan from the Federation of Trade Unions.
In an election forum yesterday morning, DAB's Edmund Wong Chun-sek, running in the accountancy functional constituency, was asked about his right of abode in the United Kingdom and Canada.
Wong said his right of abode will not undermine his work in Legco once he is elected, and the Candidate Eligibility Review Committee has confirmed his eligibility.
Meanwhile, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po yesterday said that future legislators will be able to help the government better formulate policies, given their diverse backgrounds and interests.
More than 150 candidates are vying for 90 seats in the December 19 election, which Chan claimed was "balanced participation."
He added: "Regardless, I believe there will be familiar faces in the new Legco, as well as new blood joining."
