Alan Leong likely to find support in religious sector

The Civic Party's Alan Leong Kah-kit is expected to gain fresh support from the predominantly government-friendly religious sector in the Election Committee, after several prospective supporters from the Catholic Church won seats.

Campaign strategists were confident yesterday that more than 100 Leong supporters would win seats and provide the required nominations to allow him to run in the chief executive election.

Seven new electors emerged for the Catholic diocese after election officials drew lots for seats on Wednesday.

Some winners are considered prospective Leong supporters, among them Edith To Ling-chu, wife of human rights lawyer John Clancey, who is running with pan-democrat lawyers in the legal sector. Liberal-minded Catholic electors include Luke Tsui Kam-yiu, who nominated Democratic Party chairman Lee Wing-tat in the chief executive election last year, despite being close to Beijing.

Other winners include Catholic cathedral lay leader Cheng Shing-fung, former home affairs secretary David Lan Hong-tsung, and committee incumbent Cheng Piu.

'There are hopes that we can get up to half a dozen votes from Catholic and Protestant churches,' an election strategist from Mr Leong's camp said, adding that some of the seven Protestant electors could be persuaded to vote for Mr Leong, even though most were government allies.

Mr Leong's camp had encouraged several like-minded Catholics to put their names forward to maximise his chances.