Legco chief out but not down

While Legislative Council president Tsang Yok-sing has decided against standing for chief executive he has vowed to join the fray in a run-off if no candidate wins at least half the Election Committee votes on March 25.

Tsang, the former chairman of what was then the Democratic Alliance for Betterment of Hong Kong, said he would continue to prepare his election platform and maintain contact with supporters in various sectors, some of whom are members of the Election Committee.

Tsang said he had not had enough time to prepare his platform, canvass the public for support and discuss with fellow members of the Beijing-loyalist Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong's the possible impact on his party should he be elected.

Asked if he was 'almost certain to run' for a run-off in May should no candidate win at least half the votes, he said: 'I am not campaigning for a scenario in which no one gets elected. But if it happens, I will take things as they come.'

Pressed on whether his expression of interest in standing for a run-off was to provide Beijing with another candidate in case the race turned ugly, he laughed and said: 'I don't believe Beijing will need me to help pave an alternative way out.'

Tsang, 64, who 10 days ago said he might contest the election amid the growing scandal over illegal structures at Henry Tang Ying-yen's home in Kowloon Tong, said no one representing Beijing had dissuaded him to run or contacted him.

He said he had dropped the idea for now merely because of 'time constraints'.