Late columnist Kevin Sinclair sweeps Person of the Year poll

Journalist, author and columnist Kevin Sinclair, who died of cancer last week, was voted the person of the year in an annual RTHK poll, winning by a large margin over new legislator Anson Chan Fang On-sang and Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen.

The poll, which ended at 9am yesterday, showed Sinclair drew four times the number of votes of Mrs Chan and won more than 50 per cent of the total vote.

Radio 3's Backchat ran the poll. Listeners voted online at RTHK's website or e-mailed or called the morning show.

Mrs Chan won just over 10 per cent of the vote, while Mr Tsang trailed in third place. Other candidates included child prodigy March Boedihardjo, former security chief Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, chief executive contender Alan Leong Kah-kit and Civic Exchange head Christine Loh Kung-wai, who each garnered 5 per cent or less of the votes.

Hugh Chiverton, head of Radio 3, said: 'We have never seen such a big margin [between the winner and runner-up]. We've received a lot of e-mails from people who not only named Kevin as the winner but also told the reasons why Kevin deserves the title.

'Kevin has won so many people's hearts, partly because he had more direct communication with the people than the political figures,' Mr Chiverton said.