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Democrats to promote young blood

Johnny Tam

The Democratic Party will blood some of its young talent in September's Legislative Council election, as two of its eight lawmakers stand down.

And the candidates will face more competition from the pro-establishment Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, which is running split tickets in some constituencies.

The Democratic Party yesterday announced its provisional lists for September's poll. It will field eight slates in the five geographical constituencies, but lawmakers Fred Li Wah-ming and Kam Nai-wai will not be among the hopefuls.

Wong Tai Sin district councillor Wu Chi-wai has been earmarked to take Li's place at the top of the list in Kowloon East.

Education sector lawmaker Cheung Man-kwong is due to switch to the geographical list in Kowloon West and run second on the slate behind Helena Wong Pik-wan. The Democrats won just one seat in Kowloon West last time and Cheung's hopes are considered slim.

For the new 'super lawmaker' functional constituency seats, which will be voted for by the public at large, the party is expected to field lawmaker James To Kun-sun and Kwai Tsing district councillor Andrew Wan Siu-kin on two separate lists.

The party's election board chairman, Yeung Sum, said the party was determined to bring new blood to Legco. It would co-ordinate with other pan-democrats in running for the 'super lawmaker' seats.

'We are confident of winning at least one seat in the 'super lawmaker' functional constituency and we will play a major role in the pan-democrats' victory,' Yeung said.

The party will finalise all the lists at its pre-election rally in July, though changes will only be made in exceptional circumstances.

Meanwhile, the DAB will put up nine lists in the five geographical constituencies and field candidates for two of the five 'super lawmaker' seats, party chairman Tam Yiu-chung said yesterday after the party's planning camp in Shenzhen.

Candidates' names will be announced in mid-July, and plans for the other functional constituencies have yet to be discussed.

Tam said it would be difficult to co-ordinate with other parties in the pro-establishment camp.

Tam organised a dinner for pro-establishment lawmakers last week with chief executive-elect Leung Chun-ying, a move seen as an attempt to heal rifts in the pro-Beijing camp after the bitterly fought chief executive election. But many lawmakers stayed away.

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