bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

SCMP Reporter

Two former legislators wasted no time yesterday in declaring their intentions to run for a Legco seat only hours after it was vacated by Professor Ng Ching-fai.

Professor Ng, an Election Committee legislator, formally resigned to head Baptist University.

Businessman Ho Sai-chu, 64, of the Liberal Party, and Ma Fung-kwok, 46, of the New Century Forum, separately unveiled their election plans immediately after Professor Ng tendered his resignation.

Both missed out on winning one of the six Election Committee seats last year and were separated by only two votes. The by-election will be held in September, with the 800 committee members eligible to vote.

Professor Ng was named president-designate of Baptist University in December. 'I have decided to quit the Legco post as I would like to better concentrate on my university post,' said Professor Ng, who is also convenor of the New Century Forum.

The professor immediately backed Mr Ma's bid, saying he was confident about his chances of success.

Mr Ma declined to say whether he would have an edge over his rivals given Professor Ng's endorsement.

'I will only do my best, regardless of how many rivals there are. The greater the number of candidates, the more choice voters will have,' he said.

Mr Ma, a Cultural Commission member who now owns a film production company, said his election platform would concentrate on cultural policy.

He won 376 votes in the 2000 election, just two votes fewer than Mr Ho.

Mr Ho, a local delegate to the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said one advantage that he had over Mr Ma was that his party already had eight representatives in the legislature and such a united group would better serve voters.

Asked whether he was worried that Professor Ng's support would pass to Mr Ma, Mr Ho said: 'This is by no means an inherited seat.'

Another hopeful, Wong Siu-yee, of the Hong Kong Progressive Alliance, said he was well prepared for the race although he had yet to secure the party's formal endorsement. 'I don't see any reason for the party not to support me,' he said, adding he was the only member of the party who had expressed an interest in joining the fray.

Candidates will be given four to six weeks of electioneering following a two-week nomination period.

Professor Ng said he would remain as the New Century Forum convenor but would review his situation at the forum's annual general meeting in October.



Former legislators throw hats into ring for Legco seat following professor's resignation