Hong Kong Red Cross declines opportunity to be part of new Election Committee, citing policy of political neutrality
- Government says it respects decision made by humanitarian organisation
- Red Cross seat in medical and health services sector to be filled by Human Organ Transplant Board
The Hong Kong Red Cross has declined to take its seat in the revamped 1,500-strong body that will pick the city’s leader, citing its policy of political neutrality, an official document has revealed.
In response, the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau said it respected the group’s decision, and that its seat in the Election Committee’s medical and health services sector would instead be filled by the Human Organ Transplant Board, a statutory body in the city.
The medical and health services will be merged into one sector and carry 30 seats, down from the previous 60, with 15 of those ex-officio members, including a seat allocated to the secretary general of the Hong Kong Red Cross. The current representative is Bonnie So Yuen-han.
But on Friday, the bureau said it had received a letter from the humanitarian organisation requesting it be removed and adding it would not vote for any Election Committee member either.