Former law boss in Legco battle

THE race for the legal profession's Legislative Council seat is set to turn into a fight between the liberal and conservative factions.

Former Law Society president Donald Yap - seen as a conservative - announced his candidacy yesterday.

Mr Yap, a Hong Kong affairs adviser and council member of the Law Society, opposed the controversial Sino-British deal on the composition of judges in the Court of Final Appeal when he was society president in 1991. But he recently changed his position and backed it.

He will challenge another council member, rebel lawyer Philip Li Wai-yip who declared last month that he would stand for the poll.

Incumbent Simon Ip Sik-on has still not said whether he will stand.

Mr Yap said he was confident of getting more than half the votes if his competitors were Mr Li and Mr Ip.

Mr Yap, who plans to resign from the society council, claimed his long experience in the profession gave him an edge over his rivals.

Mr Li welcomed the competition.

'It seems that the election will be a race between liberals and conservatives, as well as a competition between the young turks and the old guard,' he said.