Top job candidates missing the point
In any election campaign you expect to see a clash between rival candidates. They are free to challenge each other's opinions and expose weaknesses in their opponents' arguments. That is a natural part of the election process and helps the public decide which candidate is to be preferred.
But the recent war of words between Henry Tang Ying-yen and Leung Chun-ying looks more like political point-scoring. Leung has called for an overhaul of the Hospital Authority, which is chaired by Tang's top supporter Anthony Wu Ting-yuk. Tang, on the other hand, attacked the Urban Renewal Authority led by Leung's electoral chief Barry Cheung Chun-yuen. He said the authority's flats were fancy and overly expensive, suggesting the government take over the land claimed by the authority for better use in the future. The row has fuelled worries that public bodies are being used as political tools during the campaign.
It is a dangerous game for Tang to play. Leung's camp, for example, was quick to point out that as financial secretary Tang had approved the URA development projects which he is now criticising. This is not the first time Tang seems to have departed from government policy in remarks he has made.
He suggested allowing villagers to build houses up to nine storeys high and has shown leniency to what he described as 'so-called' illegal structures, currently the target of a government crackdown. One of the problems Tang faces is distinguishing himself from the current administration, in which he served, especially where its policies conflict with the interests of powerful groups in the Election Committee which votes for the new chief executive. But the public needs to know where he really stands on these issues.
Reform proposals must be made in good faith and in the public interest. The candidates should avoid giving the impression that they are targeting public bodies led by figures in the opposing camp, or turning their back on sensible and well supported government policies just for the sake of scoring political points.
