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Klaudia Lee

Chief executive challenger Alan Leong Kah-kit and his supporters will hold a rally on Thursday, a day before incumbent Donald Tsang Yam-kuen holds an election rally in a final effort  to drum up support for his campaign.

Mr Leong is aiming to garner public support for the pan-democratic movement even as he heads for electoral defeat  on Sunday.

A spokeswoman for Mr Leong's election office said the Civic Party legislator would use  the rally at Chater Garden  in Central  to  recount his experiences over the past few months and express his views on issues such as the importance of academic freedom in  light of the controversy surrounding the Hong Kong Institute of Education.

It is expected to be attended by pan-democrats and Election Committee members.

'The rally will have the  theme of 'give me the vote' and the fight for universal suffrage, so as to symbolise the continuance of the democratic movement even after the chief executive election,' she said.

A day after the pan-democrats' rally,  Mr Tsang's election office will hold a  rally at Southorn Playground  in Wan Chai.  The office said it expected 2,000 to 3,000 people  would take part.

Leaders, such as the Liberal Party's chairman, James Tien Pei-chun,  will  make speeches.

Both candidates were busy campaigning yesterday, with Mr Tsang visiting a middle-class family in Hung Hom  while Mr Leong presented his policies at a forum organised by the Long-Term Patients' Concern Group for Medical Reforms.  Mr Tsang  was invited to take part in the forum but declined to attend.

Afterwards,  Mr Leong appealed to  Hongkongers to turn out for a march organised by pan-democrats today  so as to 'use our footprints to open up a path for universal suffrage'.

Protesters will gather at Victoria Park at 3pm and march to the Central Government Offices.

Mr Tsang, meanwhile, pledged to respond to calls by the middle-class to deal with issues such as education, health,  air pollution and the economy.

With just a week to go before the chief executive election, Ho Hon-kuen,  vice-chairman of  Education Convergence,  said a survey of 497 teaching staff at more than 100 primary and secondary schools found  75 per cent  felt the three Election Committee members for the sector should vote for Mr Tsang.

Fourteen   per cent supported Mr Leong.

Of  the three  committee members, Mr Ho and Choi Kwok-kwong  did not nominate anyone for chief executive, while Tso Kai-lok  nominated Mr Tsang.

Mr Ho said  they would take the survey into account  but would not reveal their voting intentions, as  the ballot was secret.



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Donald Tsang

Rivals prepare for rallies in final week of the campaign