Industrialist Ngai Siu-kit's hopes of a third unopposed victory have been dashed by first-time contender Lui Ming-wah. But Mr Ngai, 74, maintains he is the right person to represent the Industrial (Second) constituency. 'Who dares say I have not been competent over the years? I'm more than competent,' he said after handing in his nomination yesterday. The honorary president of the Chinese Manufacturers' Association grabbed 95 per cent of the votes in his first battle in 1985. He was unopposed in 1988, elected with 56 per cent support in the following term and returned uncontested again in 1995. 'I have 99.99 per cent confidence of winning,' Mr Ngai said, but would not be drawn on his 60-year-old rival's strengths. Dr Lui, vice-president of the association, said last night he was in a better position to advise on industrial development. He added: 'I'm younger and a practitioner in the manufacturing industry. How can those who are no longer practitioners give advice when they don't even know what the latest developments are?' Mr Ngai, who switched from the then Liberal Democratic Federation to the Liberal Party and later the Hong Kong Progressive Alliance, is chairman of an industrial company. Dr Lui, managing director of an electronics firm, said party affiliations would compromise loyalty to the industrial sector. He became one of the 12 unopposed returnees in the industrial subsector for the Election Committee. As chairman of the Hong Kong Electronic Industries Association and president of the Association for the Advancement of Science and Technology, Dr Lui believes his chance of winning is 'pretty good'. Meanwhile, newcomer in the Industrial (First) constituency Kenneth Ting Woo-shou is likely to be returned uncontested after Leung Wai-ho, of the Progressive Alliance, declined to run for the seat. Mr Ting, deputy-chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Industries, is backed by federation chief and Executive Councillor Henry Tang Yin-yang. The Liberal candidate had earlier said he would campaign regardless of whether there was any challenge.
