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SCMP Reporter

RURAL leaders will be the big winners in the Yuen Long district - no matter how electors cast their votes on Sunday.

  They are already guaranteed six ex-officio district board seats through rural committees.

  Also, seven constituencies will be contested only among indigenous inhabitants - giving rural leaders a total of 13 seats, more than half of the 25-seat board.

  Legislator Dr Tang Siu-tong said Yuen Long had always been a rural community stronghold. This enabled rural leaders to play a prominent role in local politics, including the district board.

  The victory of Dr Tang, an indigenous inhabitant, over Albert Ho Chun-yan, vice-chairman of United Democrats, in the 1992 Legislative Council by-election also illustrated the strength of the rural community.

  Dr Tang predicted that party affiliations would not be an important consideration for Yuen Long electors, judging from past experience, and leaders of traditional neighbourhood organisations would have a considerable chance to win.

  'I think electors will prefer those who have been serving the area for a long time, rather than newcomers brought in by political parties,' he said.

  Pro-China forces, long-time allies of the rural leaders, have sought to build a strong presence in non-rural areas including the newly developed Tin Shui Wai area.

  Although the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong was able to put up only four candidates, there were six others who are closely associated with the party and many of them will be running against candidates from the liberal camp.

  Ngan Kam-chuen, chairman of the alliance's New Territories West branch office, denied the six candidates he endorsed were also from the pro-China camp and said they were merely 'friends' he had known for some time.

  But he admitted his party did have some understanding with rural leaders in planning its strategy.

  'Maintaining good relations with different political forces is preferable to gaining seats in the long run,' Mr Ngan said.

  'It is not worthwhile to antagonise everyone in order to gain a few seats.'   Facing a strong alliance between rural leaders and pro-China forces, the Democratic Party led a rather conservative strategy in the district by fielding only five candidates in which three are incumbents.

  Spokesman for the Democratic Party in the district, Cheung Yin-tung, accepted that it was difficult to build up influence in the rural area and the party's overall strategy would be of substantiation.

  He revealed that the party had earlier planned for a big push in the newly-developed Tin Shui Wai area but they had to abort the attempt as the party could field only two candidates, including himself, in the area which has a total of five seats.

  'This is disappointing as the area is crucial for the coming Regional Council and Legislative Council election,' he said.

  But Mr Cheung added that the party's five candidates are all confident of a victory including legislator Zachary Wong Wai-yin.

      United Ants, a campaign group for a fully democratic legislature, has vowed to conduct a negative campaign against Mr Wong to discourage people from voting for him as he declined to support Emily Lau Wai-hing's private member's bill to make all Legco seats directly elected.



Leaders in rural areas prepare to rule roost