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Jimmy Cheung

SOME district council candidates are covering up their party banners because they feel they have a better chance without them.

 The Hong Kong Progressive Alliance is particularly affected, with at least six members among 30 hopefuls preferring to be listed as independents.

 Incumbent Wan Chai District Board member Stephen Ng Kam-chun said he did not want his Alliance logo to politicise what was supposed to be a district election.

 'People recognise me as Ng Kam-chun rather than as an Alliance member. I want them to vote for what I've done in the district, not the party banner,' he said.

 But the 48-year-old company executive director denied the pro-Beijing business-affiliated flag would undermine his battle against first-time Democrat hopeful Tang Ping, 48.

 Au Wai-kwan of the pro-Taiwan 123 Democratic Alliance, also a member of The Frontier, said independent status would allow him to grab more votes in North District.

 'Some district leaders in the middle-left camp warned me they could not support me if I contested in the name of the pro-Taiwan group,' Mr Au said.

 The teacher, 48, failed to secure approval to run as a Frontier member against insurance agent Lo Yiu-heung of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong in Ting Ping West.

 At least four core members of the New Century Forum, a four-month-old political alliance made up of professionals, are also campaigning as independents.

 Management consultant Andrew Fung Ho-keung said the forum's logo was too new to aid his fight against Liberal Gladys Chu Kwong-lai and non-affiliated accountant Amy Yung Wing-sheung in Discovery Bay.

    'Few people have heard of this name and I don't think it will help much anyway,' Mr Fung said.



District hopefuls play down their party ties