The pan-democrats' postmortem examination of their poor district council elections showing continued yesterday as they considered how to win support from new migrants from the mainland.
A study by the University of Hong Kong geography department found that the districts in which the pan-democrats lost seats were areas where the population of mainland migrants had risen.
During City Forum yesterday, a weekly current affairs programme organised by RTHK, representatives from the democratic camp refused to blame this new demographic for their defeat, but agreed they should review how to expand and provide 'personal service' to such residents.
Frederick Fung Kin-kee, who resigned as chairman of the Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood following the poor results, said one scene stuck in his mind from polling day.
'You could see someone accompanying a family from their home all the way to the ballot box, speaking in Putonghua. It's this kind of personal relationship which we have not yet been able to develop,' he said.
The Democratic Party's Cheung Yin-tung, who lost his seat on Yuen Long District Council to a Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong newcomer, said voters seemed to have chosen, 'the one who, when it was raining, told you that you should bring in your clothes'.
