An elite electoral panel chose Hong Kong's 36 delegates to the Chinese congress yesterday, but some losing candidates alleged behind-the-scenes dealing may have knocked out political newcomers who placed high in the first round of voting.
Critics say the Hong Kong members of the National People's Congress serve as little more than a rubber stamp to Beijing, though some had thought yesterday's election might bring in more fresh blood from the business and professional community.
In the end, 27 of the 31 incumbents up for re-election came out winners, with just nine new faces -- including figures from the territory's biggest pro-Beijing political party and some bankers.
Political analysts said they were surprised to see several candidates who were among the top finishers on Friday end up as losers yesterday.
For example, newcomer Dennis Lam, 43, who placed fifth on Friday with 604 votes ended up in 41st place yesterday with just 484 votes.
That created an appearance that "a lot of behind-the-scenes negotiations" had taken place to keep core pro-Beijing activists aboard, said Joseph Cheng, a political scientist at the City University of Hong Kong.
Out of Hong Kong's population of 6.8 million, a panel of just 953 people were eligible to vote.
"The results show the flaws of a non-direct election, that it could be subjected to many manipulations," agreed Sin Chung-kai, a member of the opposition Democratic Party who was knocked out of the race in Friday's first round.
Losing candidate Lam, an ophthalmology professor, agreed there likely had been some wheeling and dealing to influence the results. But he called it "fair play" and said he wasn't surprised, adding that he might run again in the future.
A mainland Chinese who serves as secretary-general of the NPC's powerful Standing Committee, He Chunlin, brushed off any criticisms of the "open, fair and impartial election."
The winners "will help unite the Hong Kong people and work for a better Hong Kong and better China under the banner of patriotism," He said.
Some analysts said the outcome meant little, given Hong Kong's small voice in the 3,000-strong NPC, which is chosen every five years.
"What they can really do will still be very superficial," said Ivan Choy Chi-keung, who teaches social studies at the City University.
"We can't say it's a rubber stamp," argued one of the new winners, Ip Kwok-him, vice chairman of Hong Kong's top pro-Beijing party, the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong. Ip said the delegates will voice their concerns in "the institution with the highest power in China."
Fifty-four candidates had survived on Friday, when the voting panel eliminated four of Hong Kong's Democrats, who are seeking full democracy here and are viewed with great suspicion by Beijing.
Officials said 900 of the eligible voters cast ballots amid tight security including metal detectors and bomb-sniffing dogs.
Most of the voters are members of an electoral committee that holds enormous sway in choosing Hong Kong officials -- in an unusual system critics say is unfairly tilted toward Beijing's allies and big business.
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