Pro-government camp calls for more candidates
If there's more than one, at least we can choose, they say
Expectations of an easy victory for Donald Tsang Yam-kuen when running for chief executive have been called into question after two pro-government parties called for more candidates to come forward.
Liberal Party leader James Tien Pei-chun said yesterday the party hoped there would be a genuine contest. He believed the presence of more than one contender would mean they would have to present their platforms to the public, thereby enhancing people's understanding of the issues at stake.
Mr Tsang is widely expected to be elected uncontested as the next chief executive because of his long background in public service and public popularity. He will initially take over from Tung Chee-hwa for no more than six months as acting chief executive before an election is held.
Mr Tien said previously there were fears in the business sector that a civil servant becoming chief executive would make civil service rule even stronger than in the colonial era.
'But we have a different view on Mr Tsang. He is no longer a civil servant since he joined the [ministerial, or] accountability, system. His thinking has become more holistic,' Mr Tien told a radio phone-in programme.
'We are not opposing Donald. Nor are we saying we would definitely push someone to come forward. But if there is more than one candidate, at least we can choose.'
Tam Yiu-chung, vice-chairman of the Democratic Alliance for Betterment of Hong Kong, said the party would not rule out supporting a suitable candidate if one came forward. But the party had no plan to field any candidates at this stage.
He dismissed suggestions that the pro-government circle had problems working with Mr Tsang because of his time as a civil servant in the colonial era.
Democratic Party chairman Lee Wing-tat said the opposition camp would consider sponsoring a candidate, adding that members would start campaigns to promote public participation.
In Beijing, Legco President Rita Fan Hsu Lai-tai, who has been tipped as a possible candidate, ruled herself out of the contest. She said she was satisfied with her position and hoped Mr Tsang would help to improve relations between the executive and the legislature.
The head of the Central Policy Unit, Lau Siu-kai, said there would be minor policy adjustments whenever there was new leadership, but stressed the most important thing now was stability.
Echoing this line, Executive Councillors said they would stay on for the transition period. But whether they would stay in the cabinet afterwards was entirely up to the next elected chief executive.
Selina Chow Liang Shuk-yee, of the Liberal Party, said Mr Tung had urged fellow councillors and principal officials to stay, to ensure continuity.
The Electoral Affairs Commission said subject to a final decision by the central government on the chief executive's resignation, the government would proceed to arrange by-elections for vacancies in the Election Committee before moving to the chief executive election.
