Legco President Rita Fan Hsu Lai-tai yesterday opened another district office on Hong Kong Island, a move believed to be paving the way for her to run in direct elections in 2004.
But Mrs Fan, citing health reasons, said a decision on whether she would contest the elections had yet to be finalised.
Mrs Fan set up an office in Sai Wan Ho last September to handle public complaints and other district activities.
She has now picked another densely populated public housing estate, in Ap Lei Chau, as a district base.
Leaders of the Democrats, the Liberal Party, the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong and the Breakfast Group of non-affiliated lawmakers attended the opening ceremony - as they did for the Sai Wan Ho office - in what they said was a show of unity.
Democratic Party leader Martin Lee Chu-ming said he welcomed fair competition with Mrs Fan if she decided to run in the Island constituency. He joked that there had been so many complaints at district level that he welcomed Mrs Fan sharing the burden.
