Print

Mail

wiki links

Leong upbeat despite likely HK defeat

The pro-democracy candidate for Hong Kong's chief executive election, Alan Leong (梁家傑), yesterday said that although he knows he will not win the election, his participation has awakened Hong Kong citizens' desire for "one person, one vote."

Leong gained the support of 132 members of the 800-member election committee, enabling him to take part in today's ballot for Hong Kong's leadership. He is also the first candidate able to mount a challenge to Beijing-backed incumbent Chief Executive Donald Tsang (曾蔭權), who is seeking re-election. But Tsang, who won 641 seats in the election committee, is seen as a shoo-in for the chief executive post.

"My participation in this election has led Hong Kong to a new boundary for democracy. Hong Kong people will no longer accept an election without competition," Leong told reporters from Taiwan yesterday covering the chief executive's election in Hong Kong.

Even Legislative Councilor Choy So-yuk (蔡素玉), a member of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong(DAB), a political party that supports Tsang and is friendly to Beijing, also admitted that Leong's strategy was the key reason that won him the candidacy.

"People [the election committee members] want to see a field that has more competitors, even though they might not vote for Leong tomorrow," Choy told Taiwanese reporters yesterday.

Leong, 49, pointed out that he has forced Beijing's preferred candidate to face Hong Kong citizens and not just to be responsible to Beijing. He also said that he had highlighted the problems faced by those on the lowest rungs of the ladder of Hong Kong society.

"Tsang, a bureaucrat who has 40-years experience in government, would never have thought that one day he would have to solicit the public's support on a double-decker bus," Leong said, pointing out that his debates with Tsang gave the latter a chance to take into account social issues such as poverty and high unemployment.

"Many people told me that you asked the question that I've wanted to ask Tsang," Leong said.

He also pointed out that his participation in the election eased Beijing's fears that the elections would result in social disturbances.

"Politics is no longer an untouchable issue," he said.

"This election will instill momentum to Hong Kong's demands for universal suffrage because Hong Kongers will start to ask the question `what would my life be like if I had a vote," Leong said.

But saying is easier than doing, Choy said.

"Universal suffrage is a concept that no one in Hong Kong would deny. But when it comes to reality, we all know that it is the central government in Beijing that has the final say on any change to Hong Kong's system," Choy said.

Choy said that Beijing has not ruled out universal suffrage at any point, but is worried that movements similar to that supporting Taiwan's independence could gain ground in Hong Kong.

Also see stories:
Editorial: No turning back for Hong Kong

Hong Kong activists dream of a Taiwanese `paradise'

This story has been viewed 1542 times.