A pro-democracy party has became the first in the city to allow members to stand in the upcoming Legislative Council elections.
The Hong Kong Association for Democracy and People’s Livelihood on Thursday night passed a resolution that it will allow members to stand in the December 19 Legco elections.
Nominations will be from October 30 until November 12.
This came after the Democratic Party -- the biggest pro-democracy party in the SAR -- announced on Monday that none of its members applied to the party for its approval to run in the upcoming elections.
Earlier, the association's co-founder and former vice-chairman Frederick Fung Kin-kee, a pan-democratic old guard, has once again returned to the political arena with his “never say never” motto, as he attempts to try his luck in the upcoming Legislative Council election after Beijing’s overhaul of the electoral system.
Former lawmaker Fung resurfaced in the political circle in recent months, and also started an online radio channel in July this year to discuss politics.
Fung had earlier said in January 2018 that the “primary election” within the pan-democratic camp will be “the last election that he will run,” but he later apologized for his “wrong judgement” and parted ways with the association before joining the Legco by-election in November of the same year, drawing heavy fire from his former party members.
He also lost in the district council elections in 2019 to another pro-democracy candidate Leslie Chan Ka-long for a seat in the Yau Tsim Mong district council.
“I have learnt a lesson from history to never say never. Because once you say never, there will be times when the situation forces you to do it, and leaves you with no chance to refuse,” Fung said. “This is simply because when I do not do it, I am going to let myself and the society down, and without my participation, [the camp] might have less of an impact.”
As the Democratic Party will be absent from the December election, the association will have a greater chance to obtain nominations from the Election Committee, according to Fung.
On the other hand, chairman Tik Chi-yuen of centrist party Third Side, who is also the only non-pro-establishment member in the Election Committee, said he is considering participating in the Legco election with two other party members.
But Tik admitted that the non-pro-establishment camp is at disadvantage after the main pro-democracy political camp gave up the election.
“I think that if non pro-establishment camps can collaborate in this election, this will [be beneficial to] our situation. To be honest such collaboration would not be easy as everyone is on a different political spectrum.”
Nominations will be from October 30 until November 12.
This came after the Democratic Party -- the biggest pro-democracy party in the SAR -- announced on Monday that none of its members applied to the party for its approval to run in the upcoming elections.
Earlier, the association's co-founder and former vice-chairman Frederick Fung Kin-kee, a pan-democratic old guard, has once again returned to the political arena with his “never say never” motto, as he attempts to try his luck in the upcoming Legislative Council election after Beijing’s overhaul of the electoral system.
Former lawmaker Fung resurfaced in the political circle in recent months, and also started an online radio channel in July this year to discuss politics.
Fung had earlier said in January 2018 that the “primary election” within the pan-democratic camp will be “the last election that he will run,” but he later apologized for his “wrong judgement” and parted ways with the association before joining the Legco by-election in November of the same year, drawing heavy fire from his former party members.
He also lost in the district council elections in 2019 to another pro-democracy candidate Leslie Chan Ka-long for a seat in the Yau Tsim Mong district council.
“I have learnt a lesson from history to never say never. Because once you say never, there will be times when the situation forces you to do it, and leaves you with no chance to refuse,” Fung said. “This is simply because when I do not do it, I am going to let myself and the society down, and without my participation, [the camp] might have less of an impact.”
As the Democratic Party will be absent from the December election, the association will have a greater chance to obtain nominations from the Election Committee, according to Fung.
On the other hand, chairman Tik Chi-yuen of centrist party Third Side, who is also the only non-pro-establishment member in the Election Committee, said he is considering participating in the Legco election with two other party members.
But Tik admitted that the non-pro-establishment camp is at disadvantage after the main pro-democracy political camp gave up the election.
“I think that if non pro-establishment camps can collaborate in this election, this will [be beneficial to] our situation. To be honest such collaboration would not be easy as everyone is on a different political spectrum.”