Updated at 5.15pm: Frontier legislator Emily Lau Wai-hing appealed to the public for help on Tuesday afternoon in hope of raising almost one and half million dollars in legal costs she owes the Central Government's Liaison Office head in Hong Kong, Jiang Enzhu.
Ms Lau argued that, since her initial challenge against the Xinhua agency was on the public's behalf, those who support her stand should support her even if she was capable of paying the debt on her own.
''In the past I had enough money to run in the election. But since it was a public issue and I had public support I did not need to use my own funds.
''This time it is the same. Those that want to support me will donate and those that don't are not obliged to do anything,'' she said.
Ms Lau hoped, that by clarifying the issue citizens would sympathise with her plight.
''If the public understands why I am in this situation I have confidence that they will help me, but it will take at least a few weeks,'' she said.
Although she has already paid $200,000, Ms Lau must pay the rest by November 6 or Mr Jiang has the right to request that she be declared bankrupt.