Vox pop: pros and cons of radical politics and filibustering by legislators dominate Hong Kong by-election debate
The merits and pitfalls of radical politics and filibustering were key deciding factors for many New Territories East voters in choosing front-runners in the Legislative Council by-elections on Sunday.
Voters the Post spoke to were also largely swayed by their opinions on the recent Mong Kok riot, in which one of the dark horses, localist Edward Leung Tin-kei, was a key figure.
“I think he can really help Hong Kong,” said Leung supporter Nicky Wong Ho-yi, a second-year University of Hong Kong medical student. “People think what happened in Mong Kok was a riot but I think Leung helped show the government that Hong Kong people would not just sit quietly and let them bully us.”
As for pan-democrat front-runner Alvin Yeung Ngok-kiu of the Civic Party, Wong believed he was “capable”, but “what party he is in defines who he is. He’ll just become the same as they are”.
Clerk Peter Wong, 24, said he voted for Leung because he believed Leung could “bring our voices” into the legislature. “[The older generation] have become unrealistic, while the younger ones can’t even make a living,” he explained outside a polling station in Kwong Fuk.
Civic Party’s Yeung, whose party was quick to condemn the Lunar New Year mayhem in Mong Kok, had the vote of university student Sabrina Tsui Wai-yin.
Tsui said she supported Yeung because of his presentable performance in televised debates. “Many university students would support Leung, but I think he’s too radical,” said Tsui, 20, outside a polling station in Tai Wai.
Teddy Li Tak-wah, 55, said he did not have a problem with the Mong Kok disturbances but would still vote for Yeung out of pragmatism. His real problem: Holden Chow Ho-ding of the pro-Beijing Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong win.
“Chow has all the iron votes, so I must support Yeung to not dilute the pan-democrats’ votes,” he said.
But Wilson Chan Wai-nam, who works in logistics, said he would vote for Chow, despite not having much expectations of him. “I just don’t want to vote for those who keep making a scene,” the 37-year-old father said at a Tai Po polling station, referring to constant filibustering and protests by the pan-democrats and localists.
Retired civil servant Chan Kai said he voted for a pro- establishment candidate. “I want Hong Kong to be more peaceful,” he said.
Chan noted that the Mong Kok riot and filibustering were important factors in influencing the way he cast his ballot. “Some of my friends who work in retail were affected by the chaos,” he said outside a Tseung Kwan O polling station. “And filibustering has really made the city lag behind.”
