Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form . Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification. History has shown again and again how a capable leader can make a difference to the fate of a country or territory. In spite of the general public apathy about the coming chief executive election by a small circle of electors , there are those of us who are concerned that a right leader should be chosen to lead Hong Kong for the next five years. A good example under British rule was the appointment of Sir Murray MacLehose as governor of Hong Kong. MacLehose laid down some of the most significant long-term policies in Hong Kong history that led to the prosperity in the ensuing decades. The Covid-19 pandemic has laid bare the inadequacies of the current administration and the failures in the infrastructure that should have been able to carry us through a crisis. To say that our medical system is on the brink of collapse is an understatement. It has arguably already collapsed, as evidenced by the Covid-19 death toll that has shot up and still hovers around 100 a day. Compare this with the toll in Singapore, a city similar to ours, which is now in the single digits. Hong Kong’s situation is even more alarming when we consider that Singapore has changed its policy to “living with the virus”. The next chief executive therefore has the mission of fixing our overwhelmed medical system and inadequate elderly care infrastructure, opening up our borders and re-establishing our relationship with the West, which is so vital to the sustaining of Hong Kong’s role as a financial and transport hub. It is a tall order and requires someone with international vision, economic understanding and capable administrative skills. I do not wish to comment on whether former chief secretary John Lee Ka-chiu , the only person so far to formally declare his wish to serve Hong Kong as the next chief executive, would live up to the Hong Kong people’s expectations. But as the great majority of us are not one of the very few electors in the poll, we can only hope that these electors will exercise their collective wisdom to do their best for Hong Kong. T.C. Ng, North Point A strong grasp of security issues is not enough I refer to the article “Hong Kong chief executive election 2022: No 2 official John Lee formally resigns, paving way for bid as Beijing’s preferred candidate” (April 6). Beijing has apparently opted for a candidate experienced in handling security issues to lead Hong Kong, in hopes of a strong, decisive leader who can tackle deep-rooted problems and minimise national security risks amid simmering Sino-US tensions. Although John Lee has years of experience first in the police force then the governing team, eventually rising to the No 2 post in the administration, being the chief executive of Hong Kong takes more than clear, rational thinking and a background in security issues. This person must also be charismatic, articulate and conversant. They should have a sharp memory and the relevant data and numbers at their fingertips. Our next leader must also be audacious, intelligent and politically savvy, not forgetting the importance of being pleasant. In my view, Lee is often aloof and clearly lacks many of these qualities, especially charisma and pleasantness. Many of my friends and family members root for Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee , who ticks all the boxes and fits the bill. C. Choi, Tai Tam