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Willa Wu

Three incumbent lawmakers seeking another term by running in Hong Kong Island West made desperate appeals just hours into Sunday’s Legislative Council election, with the race for directly elected seats heating up compared with four years ago.
Hong Kong Island West is the only geographical constituency among the 10 where three serving legislators – Judy Chan Kapui, Chan Hok-fung and Kwok Wai-keung – are competing with two newcomers for two seats, essentially meaning at least one of them will be ousted.
“Our electoral situation is very critical and intense. That’s why I want to sound the alarm early,” said Judy Chan of the New People’s Party, which outgoing lawmaker Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee founded and chairs.
Chan was previously returned via the Election Committee constituency but was tasked with running in Hong Kong Island West to take on the seat vacated by Ip, who won over 65,000 votes four years ago.
“I hope Ip’s supporters won’t abstain from voting just because they don’t see her running. The New People’s Party really needs to continue speaking up for our residents in the legislature,” Chan added.

Ip was one of the 12 lawmakers aged 70 or above who opted not to run for election, paving the way for others to stand.
Chan Hok-fung of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) won the second seat in the constituency four years ago after bagging 36,600 votes. He attributed his emergency appeal to the fight among the three.
“That implies one of us will lose. The risks are high,” he said.
Chan also said the impact of online smears targeting his party in the wake of the deadly fire in Tai Po, which claimed at least 159 lives at the Wang Fuk Court housing complex, remained uncertain.

DAB member Peggy Wong Pik-kiu was found to have served as a consultant to the Incorporated Owners of Wang Fuk Court last year when it passed a resolution to choose the contractor for the complex’s renovation.
“I am confident about our community service, but whether we can win depends on the residents’ choices,” he said.
Both the DAB and the New People’s Party had claimed they faced a challenging electoral situation two days before the election was held.
Kwok of the Federation of Trade Unions (FTU) issued an emergency appeal around noon.
“I think it is normal for the appeal as there are three incumbent lawmakers in one constituency,” he said.

Kwok also switched to competing in Hong Kong Island West after representing the labour sector in a functional constituency.
The unionist said he and his team had always maintained close connections with residents in the constituency and had a good grasp of what was happening in the area.
But new runner Jeremy Young Chit-on of the pro-business Liberal Party said he would not create a sense of urgency or call the situation “dire”.
“That’s because the voters I aim for are those who vote because they feel there is a candidate worth voting for, who is capable, outspoken and has independent thinking,” he said.
He also added that this election was not like the previous one when people assumed the results were predetermined. “This time, it’s not the case,” he said.
The Hong Kong Island West constituency covers the Central and Western, Southern and Islands districts. It has 342,689 registered voters, the fewest among the 10 geographical constituencies. The fifth candidate is Wong Chau-ping.
A total of 161 aspirants competed for 90 seats in the city’s second “patriots-only” Legco election, with the directly elected geographical constituencies playing a big part in the increase in contenders. Some 51 were running for the 20 seats, a 45.7 per cent rise from 35 in 2021.
Some other serving lawmakers, such as the DAB’s Holden Chow Ho-ding in New Territories North West and Michael Luk Chung-hung of the FTU, who switched from the Election Committee constituency to run in New Territories North West, also said their situations were dire amid the competition.
Residents can vote for their representatives in the geographical constituencies. Lawmakers in the functional constituencies and the Election Committee constituency are elected by a small circle of voters in their respective sectors.


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3 serving lawmakers make urgent appeals in Hong Kong Island West

Campaign promotional materials are displayed in Wan Chai on Sunday. Photo: Karma Lo

Judy Chan (left) with her New People’s Party founder and chairman Regina Ip (centre).Photo: Willa Wu

The DAB’s Chan Hok-Fung greets a resident in Sai Ying Pun during campaigning last month. Photo: Sun Yeung

The FTU’s Kwok Wai-keung (left) and supporters pose for a photo in Shek Tong Tsui. Photo: Karma Lo

Constituency home to deadly Tai Po blaze records lowest turnout rate in Hong Kong

Mourners gather near Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po on Sunday Photo: Eugene Lee

The polling station at Sung Tak Wong Kin Sheung Memorial School in Tai Po on Sunday. Photo: Eugene Lee

DAB chairman and candidate Gary Chan greets residents at Wu Che Estate in Sha Tin. Photo: Dickson Lee

Civic duty drives some Hongkongers to vote, while others drawn by incentives

Eldery residents at the polling station at the Boundary Street Sports Centre No 1 in Mong Kok. Photo: Sam Tsang

Campaign workers at Wong Tai Sin. Photo: Dickson Lee

Shoppers at the K11 Musea in Tsim Sha Tsui were able to use the voting thank-you cards for coupons. Photo: Harvey Kong

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Hong Kong

Politics

New People’s Party’s Judy Chan, DAB’s Chan Hok-fung and FTU’s Kwok Wai-keung competing against two newcomers for two seats


New People’s Party’s Judy Chan, DAB’s Chan Hok-fung and FTU’s Kwok Wai-keung competing against two newcomers for two seats.


3 serving lawmakers make urgent appeals in Hong Kong Island West

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}New People’s Party’s Judy Chan, DAB’s Chan Hok-fung and FTU’s Kwok Wai-keung competing against two newcomers for two seats

New People’s Party’s Judy Chan, DAB’s Chan Hok-fung and FTU’s Kwok Wai-keung competing against two newcomers for two seats