Political and business heavyweights, including Anson Chan Fang On-sang and Chow Chung-kwong of the MTR Corporation, are backing Civic Party candidates contesting district council elections next month. Their support came as 11 candidates from the party vowed to work for improved livelihoods in the districts and a better environment when they filed their nomination forms yesterday on Hong Kong Island. Among the nominators for Tanya Chan Suk-chong were Mr Chow, chief executive of the MTR Corporation, former director of broadcasting Cheung Man-yee and barrister Denis Chang Khen-lee. Tanya Chan, a barrister who will challenge the incumbent in The Peak constituency - solicitor Mark Lin of the Liberal Party - said she was confident of getting support from businessmen and professionals. She also said she was encouraged by Mr Chow's support. 'I will do my best for the people.' It is rare for leading business figures to back a pan-democrat openly. In the Stubbs Road constituency, Paul Zimmerman, a Civic Party member and its only expatriate candidate, has backing from Anson Chan, who is running in the December 2 Legco by-election on Hong Kong Island. Party leader Audrey Eu Yuet-mee said candidates from her party were from a cross section of society, and would do their best regardless of the chances of victory. The party will field 43 candidates across the 18 districts. It had another expatriate candidate but Judy Love-Eastham, who was planning to run in Sai Kung, decided to pull out after the latest support estimate.