As the chief executive election approaches, opinion polls have gauged the public's sentiment about who they support. But the real voters on March 25 are the 1,194 members of the Election Committee. That's why we have turned to them for our second debate. We have asked a prominent Election Committee supporter of each candidate to explain, first, why they support their man and, second, why they would not vote for his opponents. We also asked one undecided Election Committee member why he had not nominated anyone and how he evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of the candidates. As before, their responses have been listed in alphabetical order according to their surname, and were limited to 1,200 words, roughly 600 words for each of the two questions. Here is how they responded.
Ronnie Chan Chichung
Why do you back Leung Chun-ying despite an alleged conflict of interest in his role as a judge in the 2001 West Kowloon Reclamation Concept Plan competition?
C.Y. and I have known each other for about 30 years. We seldom got together until after Hong Kong's return to her motherland when he became chairman of the board and I of the executive committee of the One Country Two Systems Research Institute. There we worked together closely, although we still hardly had business dealings with each other.
Two things about C.Y. amaze me. As one who all his life has striven to live properly, I find him the most honest and decent, indeed honourable, of anyone I know. Hardly can I find a more principled and upright individual anywhere, especially in business. Such a character can only be developed from childhood and it becomes innate. C.Y. does not just do what is right; he is at heart that kind of a person. I have watched him from a close distance, and he is always proper and sincere, even caring, to those around him - his wife, children, friends, subordinates, and even strangers. I seldom hear him say unkind words about others, and when it is necessary, he does so with restraint.
Sincerity is expressed in not saying things just to flatter. C.Y. is too decent for that. He says and does things according to a good conscience. He will not bend the rules or give up principles for expediency.
Herein lies C.Y.'s biggest weakness: he does not belong to anyone, he joins no cliques, he cannot be bought. In politics, these virtues are rare but can be problematic to oneself. No business groups can own him; he does not promise anyone anything lightly; he does not make deals.
