None of the candidates contesting the social welfare constituency in the Legco election has secured the endorsement of the pan-democratic camp. The revelation came as a lecturer in applied social science at Polytechnic University, Fernando Cheung Chiu-hung, announced yesterday that he would give up his US passport to run for the welfare seat in September. Dr Cheung is the third to declare his bid, after Christine Fang Meng-sang, chief executive of the Hong Kong Council of Social Services, and Cheung Kwok-che, president of the Social Workers' General Union. All three have said they support universal suffrage. The welfare sector is not one of the 12 allowed to be represented by holders of foreign passports. Dr Cheung returned to Hong Kong in 1996 after living in the US for 15 years. Joseph Cheng Yu-shek, who co-ordinates the election line-up in the pan-democracy camp, said no decision had been made because the Democratic Party and two allied groups had yet to decide whom they should support. 'There are three candidates. It's rather difficult for us to decide,' he said. Dr Cheung has already secured the support of Professor Cheng and legislators Emily Lau Wa-hing and Cyd Ho Sau-lan.
