Some readers might not know Hong Kong had an election a little over a week ago. And that’s OK, because most of us aren’t part of the 3,631 voters eligible to take part in the Election Committee subsector by-elections, held on September 7.
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The election achieved a phenomenal voter turnout rate of 97.33 per cent. The 1,500-member Election Committee had 93 vacancies that needed filling. Nearly 80 per cent of the seats were uncontested.
The public may lack interest, but that doesn’t mean the Election Committee isn’t important. It is the centre of the city’s power; members are tasked with nominating lawmakers and directly electing 40 of the 90 seats in the Legislative Council – and Legco elections are coming up in December. The committee also selects the chief executive. It has significant authority and the power to steer change.
The committee is supposed to be representative of different sectors of society and reflect the views and priorities of a broad spectrum within the community. So I sincerely hope that its members are communicating closely with the government on what Hong Kong needs.
With the policy address scheduled to be delivered on Wednesday, I also hope that Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, amid any consultations or exchanges with his electors, will be able to explain the government’s plans for a number of crucial areas.
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The business community has been quite vocal about the city’s economic recovery. Veteran lawmaker, business leader and government adviser Jeffrey Lam Kin-fung recently said that “we see a light at the end of the tunnel”. That is very good indeed.
