DAB deals big blow to Christopher Chung re-election
Legislator’s online appeal suggests he may run as independent in September’s Legco poll
Beijing-friendly legislator Christopher Chung Shu-kun said on Wednesday night he was “disappointed” with his party’s call to effectively ban him from seeking re-election, but stopped short of breaking away.
Chung, from the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, said the party’s chair Starry Lee Wai-king told him the DAB would only field one slate of candidates on Hong Kong Island in September. It will be led by the party’s vice-chair Horace Cheung Kwok-kwan.
Christopher Chung Shu-kun on DAB’s decision
“Lee said I can be the candidate in the second place on the slate, but I could not convince myself why I should take the offer,” Chung said.
When asked if he will quit the party, he said: “It will cause the party to split, and I don’t want to see that ... I need to discuss with my supporters.”
Chung had said he and Cheung should each lead a slate to win two seats.
Hours before the party’s central committee met to discuss the plan, Chung appealed for public support for “something”.
Writing on his Facebook page early Wednesday afternoon, he posted a picture showing a cheque with his name written on it. “I have been very busy recently as I have to work on something big … I need your support,” he said.
That was seen as a strong hint he was readying a run as a non-affiliated candidate, as he said on Tuesday that he might quit the DAB if it stopped him running.
DAB party chairman Lee said the decision to field one list was made after assessing the possible competition in the constituency, where the seats will be reduced from seven to six this year.
“Last time our party collected a total of over 70,000 votes, but that number may not be enough to secure two seats,” said Lee. “Therefore, we will field one list of candidates this time.
“It is a difficult decision. Both Horace and Christopher have made great contributions to the party. But there is more than one member who wants to run and there can only be one taking the first place on a list.”
Those tipped to also contest the constituency include Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee of the New People’s Party, businessman Ricky Wong Wai-kay, Tanya Chan of Civic Party, Baggio Leung Chung-hang of localist group Youngspiration, Cyd Ho Sau-lan of the Labour Party and Ted Hui Chi-fung of the Democratic Party.
The pro-establishment bloc, of which the DAB is part, hopes to limit its candidates to avoid splitting the vote.
Chinese University political scientist Dr Ma Ngok said on Wednesday he believed Beijing’s liaison office in Hong Kong was behind the bloc’s strategy.
“I think the liaison office played an important role because if the DAB was calling the shots, it would field both Cheung and Chung first and give up on one of them at the last minute,” Ma said.
Chung was first elected as an Eastern district councillor in 1991. He became vice-chairman of the council in 2003, and took the helm for about a year before stepping down in 2012 when he was finally elected to the Legislative Council after failing in all four previous polls from 1998 to 2008.
He lost his district council seat to pro-democracy political greenhorn Chui Chi-kin last November.
