Beijing loyalists set for Legco poll fight
The battle for functional constituency seats in next month's elections will pitch supporters of Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying seeking to gain a foothold in Legco against backers of his defeated rival Henry Tang Ying-yen looking to retain their influence.
The Beijing-loyalist camp has usually been united and dominant in the trade-based seats, but the division between Leung supporters and backers of Tang has become clear since nominations for the September 9 poll closed on Tuesday.
While just one lawmaker nominated Leung in the chief executive election in March - new development chief Paul Chan Mo-po - nine of his nominators will be contesting seven seats; four more will be elected unopposed.
Many of Tang's supporters have been reluctant to embrace Leung's leadership, despite attempts at reconciliation and encouragement from the central government to keep the Beijing-loyalist camp united.
But Leung's supporters are keen to play down suggestions that they are forming a united team.
In the engineering sector, former Institution of Engineers president Lo Wai-kwok, who nominated Leung, will take on Tang nominator and incumbent lawmaker Dr Raymond Ho Chung-tai, as well as the institution's current president, John Luk Wang-kwong, and pan-democrat Albert Lai Kwong-tak.
Lo, who has won the support of four engineering heavyweights, including Otto Poon Lok-to, who nominated Tang, denied he was a 'Leung fan'.
'I nominated Leung because many ideas in his manifesto matched with the engineering sector ... but if I am elected, my most important job is to regulate the government's work based on my sector's interest,' he said.
Lo's remarks where echoed by Yiu Si-wing who nominated Leung and is up against Freddy Yip Hing-ning, who also backed the chief executive, for the tourism seat.
'I think people should not label us as 'Leung camp' or whatever camp ... as a representative of the business, I will focus on future planning and [ask whether the government] has done its job,' he said.
Leung supporters Tang Yu-lap and Vincent Lee Kwan-ho will go head to head with each other and Tang nominator Christopher Cheung Wah-fung for the vacant financial services sector seat. Lee nominated Leung, while Tang Yu-lap donated HK$200,000 to Leung's campaign.
With Patrick Lam Tak-ming and pan-democrat Frankie Yan Man-sing also running, this sector is the most hotly contested functional constituency seat.
Among the Leung supporters running unopposed is Bank of China (Hong Kong) Trustees chairman Ng Leung-sing, who will take over from Bank of East Asia chairman David Li Kwok-po in the finance seat.
Leung nominator Tony Tse Wai-chuen and pan-democrat Stanley Ng Wing-fai will challenge incumbent Patrick Lau Sau-sing in the architectural, surveying and planning constituency.
Ma Fung-kwok, former chairman of the Arts Development Council, will stand in the sports, performing arts, culture and publication sector against painter Chow Chun-fai and activist Jimmy Siu See-kong.
Ma also denied being in the 'Leung camp'. He said he believed the public 'should give the chief executive a chance to implement policies according to his manifesto, but [if elected legislator,] whether I will support him depends on the details of each policy proposal.'
Another Leung nominator, Nelson Lam Chi-yuen, is contesting the accountancy sector against Peter Chan Po-fun, Ivan Wong Wang-tai and pan-democrat Kenneth Leung Kai-cheong.
13
The number of supporters of Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, who are contesting or have already won seats in functional consituencies
The trade-seat battlegrounds - and some shoo-ins
Financial Services
Leung supporters: Tang Yu-lap, Vincent Lee Kwan-ho
Tang supporter: Christopher Cheung Wah-fung
Other candidates: Frankie Yan Man-sing, Patrick Lam Tak-ming
Engineering
Leung supporter: Lo Wai-kwok
Tang supporter: Raymond Ho Chung-tai
Other candidates: John Luk Wang-kwong and Albert Lai Kwong-tak.
Architectural, Surveying and Planning
Leung supporter: Tony Tse Wai-chuen
Other candidates: Patrick Lau Sau-sing, Stanley Ng Wing-fai
Sports, Performing Arts, Culture and Publication
Leung supporter: Ma Fung-kwok
Other candidates: Chow Chun-fai, Jimmy Siu See-kong
Tourism
Leung supporters: Yiu Si-wing, Freddy Yip Hing-ning
Finance
Leung supporter: Ng Leung-sing
Commercial (Second)
Leung supporter: Martin Liao Cheung-kong
Labour
Leung supporters: Kwok Wai-keung, Tang Ka-piu
Agriculture and Fisheries
Leung supporter: Steven Ho Chun-yin
Other candidates: Chan Mei-tak
Accountancy
Leung supporters: Nelson Lam Chi-yuen
Other candidates: Peter Chan Po-fun, Ivan Wong Wang-tai, Kenneth Leung Kai-cheong
