Hong Kong political party faces battle to retain 'super seat' in Legco after incumbent lawmaker's poll defeat
The Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood has vowed to retain its one and only "super seat" in the Legislative Council elections next year, even though its incumbent lawmaker lost his entry ticket to the race.
Frederick Fung Kin-kee's defeat in the district council elections last month disqualifies him from seeking re-election in the constituency next year. A candidate for one of the five Legco seats must first become a district councillor before being elected by the city's 3.2 million voters.
"The Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood will not easily give up the super seat and we will try our best to retain what we have," said vice-chairman Tam Kwok-kiu yesterday.
Tam, a 58-year-old district councillor who lost in the last Legco poll by 3,900 votes in the Kowloon West constituency, said he was ready to run again next year, but he was still pondering whether to contest the super seat or in Kowloon West, where he might have an edge.
Pan-democrats secured three super seats three years ago.
Fung vowed to seek election in a geographical constituency, but he ruled out Kowloon West, which he once represented and is considered the ADPL's base.
"We know there is a structural problem in ADPL. We are strong in Kowloon West and so we have always been relying on that constituency," Fung said, adding his colleagues used to prefer he run there to ensure the group pocketed at least one seat.
"But that is a vicious cycle ... if ADPL is determined to pass the torch, Fung Kin-kee must not stay in Kowloon West."
The lawmaker was considering either Kowloon East or New Territories West, where the ADPL has two and three district councillors respectively.
While voters showed a preference for new if not young faces in the District Council elections, Fung, 62, believed age would not be voters' sole concern if he could bring change to the community.
The ADPL would field at most four lists - three in geographical constituencies and one in the "super seat" - in the Legco elections and hoped to finalise the names of candidates by Lunar New Year in February.
Meanwhile, Suzanne Wu Sui-shan, project coordinator of the Association for the Advancement of Feminism, was elected chairwoman of the Labour Party yesterday, replacing lawmaker Lee Cheuk-yan, who decided not to seek another term.
