Former chief secretary and newly appointed legislator Anson Chan Fang On-sang, whose election campaign Sinclair lambasted in one of his final Post columns, was second with 11.8 per cent.

Child prodigy March Boediharjo was tied for third with Mr Tsang, while former security chief Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee and ex-chief executive contender Alan Leong Kah-kit were a joint fifth with just under 3 per cent.

Civic forum head Christine Loh Kung-wai had no votes at all in the poll, which closes on Tuesday.

The RTHK Person of the Year is an award that often goes to people best known for thumbing their noses at authority. Previous winners include Catholic church leader Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun after a year in which he fiercely criticised former chief executive Tung Chee-hwa.

In 2003 - when the title of the accolade was changed to Personality of the Year - the Yuen Long crocodile, Pui Pui, won for evading capture for months.

Speaking at an event in Sinclair's memory at his favourite haunt, Steamers in Sai Kung, daughter Kiri said her father would have been amused but honoured to be included in the poll. 'He would have had a laugh but he would definitely have been humbly honoured,' she said. 'As a family, we also feel honoured but think it is appropriate because Dad did a lot for Hong Kong.'

As well as commiserating with the family and swapping Sinclair tales, visitors snapped up hundreds of copies of his book. His wife Kit said she found it 'warming and reassuring that so many people, who either knew Kevin or knew him through his writing, would stop outside a bar to buy his book'.

Sinclair died after a courageous battle against the disease he had beaten a number of times. He was 65. A New Zealander, he came to Hong Kong 40 years ago, making his mark as a prolific freelance journalist and columnist. In 1983, he was awarded an MBE from Queen Elizabeth for his contribution to the community through journalism.

Additional reporting by Chris Davis