Hong Kong election officials avoided pro-democracy icon Joshua Wong’s candidacy ruling for district council elections, government source says
- Activist’s candidacy still in limbo after source reveals that not one election officer on Hong Kong Island agreed to take the vacant vetting job
- The source said: ‘It’s widely believed to be related to whether to disqualify Wong’
After the official in charge of vetting activist Joshua Wong Chi-fung’s candidacy for upcoming elections took indefinite sick leave, not one election officer on Hong Kong Island agreed to take the job, the Post has learned.
When the three eligible returning officers refused to take the post, according to a government source on Friday, the government was forced to appoint Laura Liang Aron, from Yau Tsim Mong district in Kowloon, to replace Dorothy Ma Chau Pui-fun as manager of the Southern District candidacies.
Ma, who went on sick leave on Tuesday, had twice questioned Wong on his allegiance to China. But Ma did not issue a decision as to whether the 23-year-old activist was cleared to run in district council elections next month.
“All district officers from Eastern, Wan Chai and Central and Western Districts turned down the offer,” said the government insider. “So that’s why officials turned to Laura.”
The source continued: “It’s widely believed to be related to whether to disqualify Wong.”
According to electoral procedures, district officers under the Home Affairs Department can assume the role of returning officers to validate candidates during elections. The source said the Home Affairs Department started approaching eligible vetting officials on Wednesday.