CY congratulates Alvin Yeung on his by-election win, says gov’t ‘doing its best’

1 March 2016 17:31

 Karen Cheung

2 min read

Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying congratulated Civic Party memberAlvin Yeung Ngok-kiu on his win in the Legislative Council by-election on Sunday, and said that the government respects the election outcome.

Leung was speaking to reporters ahead of the weekly Executive Council meeting on Tuesday. When asked whether he was worried that more candidates who were not of the pro-establishment camp would be elected, Leung said, “We value the choices of the voters and we respect the outcome of the election.”

Chief Executive CY Leung. Photo: GovHK.

“We know there are a lot of angry voices and difficulties in society,” Leung said. “Therefore, the government is working to overcome challenges [in different areas]. Over the past three years, we have put in effort to resolve matters that we are all concerned about.” He said that the government is doing its best on topics such as the economy, political reform and people’s livelihood.

With regards to the problem of housing – an issue 70 percent of Hongkongers say they are most concerned about – Leung said that after three years of hard work there have been some results in the area. “The supply of housing has increased, and both property and rent prices have gone down. Housing has relatively become more affordable.”

Leung said that the government was very willing to receive feedback on other issues, and to work with society to solve these problems.

Karen Cheung

Karen is a literature and law student at the University of Hong Kong. She reviews local music and drama performances and has previously contributed to The Underground HK and HKELD. Her piece on the Umbrella Revolution was featured as the cover story on Qmunicate, the student magazine at Glasgow University. She is formerly the editor-in-chief of HKU multimedia blog hKUDOS. She has also interned at law firms Daly & Associates and DLA Piper.

Localist group gets ballot boost: ‘We’ll be back in September’

29 February 2016 11:38

 Eric Cheung

4 min read

Edward Leung Tin-kei, a candidate from localist group Hong Kong Indigenous, won more than 15 percent of the total votes in the New Territories (East) by-election on Sunday, signalling a possible strong showing for localist groups in the upcoming general election to the legislature in September.

Leung thanked his supporters for voting for him, saying that the votes belonged to all people who were “brave to defend the values of Hong Kong”. He added that their ideas had received the endorsement of more than 60,000 citizens in Hong Kong, and that Hong Kong Indigenous would be participating in the general election of the legislature in September.

Edward Leung Tin-kei speaking to reporters. Photo: Edward Leung, via Facebook.

Ronny Tong Ka-wah, a founding member of the pro-democracy Civic Party whose resignation from the legislature effectively triggered this by-election, told RTHK on Monday morning that the by-election result was an unprecedented success for Hong Kong Indigenous.

“I think it shows that localism in Hong Kong is to become a political force to reckon with. And it probably… not only will it affect the September election, but [it] probably will influence other mainstream pan-democrats to review their political platform and try to win over some of the supporters of localism. And it doesn’t spell too well for the stability of Hong Kong in the near future,” Tong said.

Tong announced his resignation as a legislative councillor and withdrew from his Civic Party membership back in June 2015, after revealing the founding of a new think-tank, Path of Democracy. The move is widely seen as demonstrating Tong’s intention to promote centrist politics to promote democracy in the current polarised political environment.

Ronny Tong Ka-wah. File Photo: Stand News.

Cheng Chung-tai, a leading figure of localism group Civic Passion, believed that the figure is a good sign for localist groups. “If this number is being carried to the general election of the Legislative Council, it is possible that one or two representatives from localist groups will become elected [in the New Territories (East) constituency].”

Several localism groups, including Civic Passion, Hong Kong Resurgence Order and Proletariat Political Institute, said they will hold a press conference on early Monday evening to announce plans for the upcoming Legislative Council election in September.

Holden Chow Ho-ding, a candidate for the pro-Beijing DAB party who lost the seat by 10,000 votes, also said this morning that localism has become a force in this election. He added: “I will have to agree that there are many problems existing in our society right now, and this deserves our attention.”

Speaking to Apple Daily before the announcement of results, Ivan Choy Chi-keung, senior lecturer at the politics department at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said Beijing will be shocked if a high number of voters cast their ballots for Leung. He also predicted that localism groups will be more active in joining the upcoming general election, creating an impact for the traditional pan-democratic camp.

‘Retaining the vital seat’

Speaking during another radio show on Monday morning, Alvin Yeung Ngok-kiu, member of the pro-democracy Civic Party who won the by-election on Sunday, said: “People who voted for me do not necessarily mean that they completely agree with me or the Civic Party. But they do not want the seat to be taken by pro-Beijing parties.”

Yeung also praised Leung as an “outstanding opponent”, adding that he will block the passing of the amendment bill to the Copyright Ordinance and the budget for the Express Rail.

Alvin Yeung. Photo: Alvin Yeung, via Facebook.

Holden Chow Ho-ding also congratulated Yeung during his concession speech early Monday morning, adding: “I continue to strongly believe that our ideology – to walk on the right track, and to preserve peace and rule of law in Hong Kong – will resonate among the Hong Kong people.”

Independent candidate Christine Fong Kwok-shan said she felt disappointed with the outcome of the election. She said voters did not vote according to the past performances of the candidates, adding that the polarisation of the legislature will not be beneficial to Hong Kong.

A total of 434,000 voters, or 46.1 percent of all voters in the New Territories (East) constituency, cast their ballot in Sunday’s by-election. Turnout was 7.76 percentage points lower than in the 2012 general election of the legislature, but 28.87 higher compared with the by-election in 2010.

There were a total of seven candidates contesting the single seat during the by-election on Sunday. They were: Third Side’s Wong Sing-chi, DAB’s Holden Chow Ho-ding, Hong Kong Indigenous’s Edward Leung Tin-kei, Civic Party’s Alvin Yeung Ngok-kiu, and independent candidates Lau Chi-shing, Albert Leung Sze-ho and Christine Fong Kwok-shan.

Eric Cheung

Eric is currently a Bachelor of Journalism student at the University of Hong Kong. Eric has his finger on the pulse of Hong Kong events and politics. He reported for HKU's 'Live: Verified Updates' feed during the Occupy Central protests. He is also contributing to the Among Hong Kong - a multimedia research project related to under reported social issues.

Candidates’ mutual respect averts damaging split in pan-democratic camp

29 February 2016 18:03

 Michael Leung

4 min read

The Civic Party’s Alvin Yeung Ngok-kiu held on for a narrow victory over DAB’s Holden Chow Ho-ding in the New Territories East by-election, avoiding the ultimate consequence of a vote split with Edward Leung Tin-Kei of Hong Kong Indigenous.

Yeung and Leung must be congratulated for running two of the better election campaigns in Hong Kong’s post-1997 history. Both candidates were huge winners and Hong Kong witnessed the birth of two new political stars. Their positions could have led to a cannibalism of votes, handing the seat and the control of the geographical constituency to Chow and the pro-establishment camp.

Yeung and Leung shaking hands with each other. Photo: Apple Daily.

Not only was this possibility real, but the consequences of the loss would have caused an irreversible rift within the anti-establishment front. Instead, their mutual respect for each other’s position in the Hong Kong political spectrum instilled a sense of much-needed solidarity within the anti-establishment front moving forward.

While Yeung secured the vacant seat, the bigger winners were Leung and the new political forces of Hong Kong. Securing over 15% of the total votes, they far exceeded pre-election expectations despite some supporters strategically voting for Yeung to keep the pro-establishment forces from controlling the geographical constituencies group.

Leung made maximum use of the by-election’s exposure to introduce localism ideas to society in a mild and conversational manner. He showed us he is not only an ultra-radical, but that he is also an articulate, measured, and deep thinker who just happens to back up his wisdom with action.

His consistently outstanding performances in public debates endeared him to the progressives of Hong Kong and opened their minds to new ideas. He carried a refreshing sense of honesty and humility and invited society to judge his ideas and actions at the ballot box. And he won the vote of confidence he so desired.

Edward Leung Tin-kei. Photo: Chantal Yuen/HKFP.

Besides the rise of Leung, Yeung had to deal with stiff competition from local populist Christine Fong Kwok-shan and faux-opposition Nelson Wong Sing-chi. If Yeung employed the strategies of the old pan-democratic guards, he would have chosen to attack Leung’s radicalism head-on and claw back enough voters for a comfortable victory.

But this would have pitted the two factions of the anti-establishment camp against each other. He showed political savviness by correctly gauging the tolerance and support of localism and new-radicalism in Hong Kong.

He mostly deferred to his best position – securing control of the geographical constituency without attacking Leung, choosing only to spar with the independent Fong to consolidate the anti-establishment vote and to distinguish Wong from a genuine middle ground candidate. Yeung wanted the victory, but not at the expense of severing the ties between pan-democrats and the students and youth of the new political forces.

Pan-democrats and new political forces must co-exist in today’s political environment to protect Hong Kong. Some traditional pan-democrats may be uneasy with the ultra-radicals and their methods, but the reality is that the new political forces are entrenched in Hong Kong with good reasons.

Pan-democratic lawmakers. Photo: Stand News.

Is there any room for moderate lawmakers when the current political environment is an unjust system which confers no legitimacy on the Legislative Council? How do we expect moderate voices to deal with the tyranny of functional constituency lawmakers like Chan Kin-por, who has no respect for the voices of Hong Kong people? Maybe it will get ugly, but the darkest hour is just before the dawn.

Supporters of new political forces need to stop seeing traditional pan-democrats as their foes. They must accept that their ultra-radical methods may never be acceptable to some parts of society, but there will be times when they must stand united with willing allies.

Since 1997, the pro-establishment camp has benefitted repeatedly from unnecessary rifts in the pro-democracy camp. The mutual respect between Yeung and Leung was certainly a recurring theme throughout the by-election; this shared respect needs to be replicated across the greater anti-establishment front.

Michael Leung

Michael Leung writes about human rights and socio-legal issues affecting Hong Kong. He is currently a master's student at Harvard Law School and was a graduate of The Chinese University of Hong Kong's Faculty of Law and the University of Waterloo. After beginning his career with stints in Big Four accounting firms and international banks, his interests now lie in envisioning a better city where justice and traditional Hong Kong values reign supreme.

被問梁天琦獲6.6萬票 梁振英：明白社會有怨氣

被問梁天琦獲6.6萬票　

梁振英：明白社會有怨氣

行政長官梁振英出席行政會議前見記者，對於公民黨楊岳橋勝出新界東立法會補選表示祝賀，指政府重視選民的選擇，亦尊重選舉結果。被問到如何看本土派梁天琦在補選中取得6.6萬票，梁振英沒有正面回應，轉而恭喜公民黨楊岳橋當選，又稱知道社會上存在怨氣及不少困難，政府願意聽社會不同意見，一同解決社會上不同問題。選民投票有自己的選擇，政府可以做的是辦好選舉，做好施政方面的工作，滿足市民各方面的訴求。

他又指，過去政府已不斷提出在發展經濟改善民生上要迎難而上，著力解決共同關心的問題，不論推動政改發展經濟都全力以赴，在房屋這老大難問題上，經過3年幾做出成績，供應增加，樓價租金均下調，負擔能力改善，其他問題都願意聽社會不同意見，與全社會一同努力解決。

閉眼單腳企測平衡力

閉眼單腳企測平衡力

平衡力越fit，意外跌倒的風險便越低。中國香港體適能總會行政總監兼物理治療師黃永森表示，身體的神經及肌肉系統會協調平衡力，當失去平衡時，身體會迅速作出反應，例如伸手扶杆、伸屈關節及跨步踏穩等，以避免跌倒。平衡力對長者尤其重要，因為長者一旦跌倒，便容易骨折。

市民可自行測試平衡力，只要單腳閉眼站立，若能保持10秒鐘平衡，沒有跌倒，反映身體有足夠平衡力。若無法保持10秒，反映平衡力欠佳，市民日常可透過不同運動訓練平衡力（如下圖）。

■記者梁麗兒

1.【平衡力訓練】 張開雙臂，輪流左右擺腿。可閉眼增加訓練難度。

2.【平衡力訓練】 一字步行，其中一隻腳的腳踭，要緊貼另一隻腳的腳尖。可閉眼增加訓練難度。

示範：中國香港體適能總會體適能導師鄭鍵明

世道人生：新世代的大局
李怡

楊岳橋在他的當選感言中，一開始就說他非常幸運，遇上梁天琦這位出色的對手。他又承諾身體力行推動泛民革新，去回應這個時代。他說：「從梁天琦與我的得票，可見香港人是率性與智慧並重，亦充分顯示革新泛民，刻不容緩。希望這個革新，由我做起、由公民黨做起。梁天琦的勇敢、純粹、奮不顧身，正是革新必不可少的要素。」

短短的感言，三度提到他在民主派票倉的競爭對手。多次提到要革新。而革新就不是像過去泛民那樣只是坐着投反對票；革新包括必不可少的梁天琦那樣的勇敢和奮不顧身。而梁天琦，這個港共和部份傳媒口中的「暴徒」，在整個選戰過程中，不但毫不粗暴，而且全心投入選戰，參加所有論壇，重規則守分寸，有力說明他本身並無暴力傾向；他參與抗暴行動，完全是因為在一切非暴力抗爭無效的情況下逼出來的。

如果和理非非有效，像梁天琦這樣能言善辯之士，不會不遵從和理非非；身為大律師又置身於公民黨的楊岳橋，不會稱讚這個被指為「暴徒」的對手身上有革新要素。在七名新東參選人中，不難發現，這兩個年輕人的表現實在太好。而尤其難得的是，過去激進泛民與溫和泛民在選戰中碰頭，都一定惡言相向。但這兩個年輕人，每次論壇都非常敬重對方。他們常有不同意見，但都能貫徹君子和而不同，耐心地解釋彼此觀點。

在一次論壇上，梁天琦說自己參與社會運動，同制度暴力對抗，問楊你們為甚麼一次一次同我們切割？為甚麼一再譴責我們？楊沉吟片刻，一時沒有回答。其後他說，在佔領運動和這次旺角事件中，他和同僚都義務給他們法律援助。梁說很感激他。但他哽咽着說，為甚麼楊的政黨要譴責他們？他們不是為了自己的利益，不是要光環，只是對社會不公義的事情抗爭。其後，楊問他沒有底線的抗爭有沒有想到會傷及無辜？是不是有責任去保護跟隨他抗爭的人。他們的交流很讓人感動。而這種交流在過去相互競爭的不同民主派身上從未見過。

在新世代身上，我們看到過去未見過的君子之爭，看到相互欣賞。這次補選也正因為有梁天琦，才拉高楊岳橋的選情，推高投票率並導致他當選，並強化了楊岳橋可能原來已有的變革思維。

選後有民主派談論新東補選，說這樣的結果可以阻止北京讓梁振英連任。泛民最大的問題，就是跳脫不了事事向北望。周浩鼎選贏了，中共有理由讓689連任；輸了，也有理由讓他連任：這不是正說明要用鐵腕來對付本土力量嗎？面對一個專制政權，沒有邏輯可以依循。

因此，年輕一代的想法，就是不理專制強權有甚麼反應，爭取實現自主目標就是年輕人生存的大局。除此之外，沒有得失成敗的大局，沒有一席輸贏的大局，沒有689連不連任的大局，也沒有協調參選的大局。

本土派望三分天下

本土派望三分天下

【明報專訊】新界東補選其實是9月立法會選舉的一場前哨戰，無論建制或泛民，都以今次成績來籌劃9月的選舉策略。本土民主前線梁天琦認為是次補選結果反映，本土派雖仍未成為主流，但已經可以左右大局，與泛民和建制三分天下，對前景有憧憬，期望5區直選也有進帳。不過，泛民和建制政黨都不約而同認為本土派過分高估實力。

傳統泛民認為，補選結果對於激進泛民的衝擊較大；建制派就覺得今次選舉已保住基本盤，「有功課交」，本土派興起對他們而言衝擊不大。

傳統泛民料新舊激進派陷混戰

【明報專訊】傳統泛民政黨人士對本土派取得15％選票反應平靜，認為是意料之內，也不會過度解讀本土派獲高票支持，因為相信傳統溫和泛民基本盤相對穩定，因過往能被𠝹走的選票早已被𠝹，反而是之前定位為「激進」的泛民政團要擔心受衝擊，要與更激進的本土派爭票。

民主黨主席劉慧卿昨日說，各候選人都有自己爭取選票方式，有人會選擇以無底線的方法爭取支持，但民主黨就不會因為今次選擇結果而變得不理性，但認同民主黨可以採用更有創意的方式去抗爭。

「可𠝹的票早被𠝹」

劉慧卿說，9月立法會選舉與補選不同，9月時新界東有9席，亦會有多路政黨參選，屆時票源分配或與今次不同。

多名政界中人都分析，本土派今次取得15％選票是意料之內，因新東選民政治光譜較闊，相信本土派今次亦吸納到部分以往被標榜為「激進」的梁國雄、陳志全，以至提倡本土的范國威的選票，3人在2012年取得約25％選票，今次本土派只取到部分即15％選票。

政界中人分析，本土派今次士氣如虹，預料到了9月也會參選，故無論是新東或另外4區，均會有傳統泛民、激進派、本土派，甚至傘兵、學民思潮成員等不同隊伍參選，預料傳統溫和泛民有基本的支持，反而新舊走激進路線的政黨，會陷入混戰局面。


本土派豐收 陳雲黃毓民組陣線戰立選

【明報專訊】本土民主前線梁天琦在補選取得6.6萬票，成績令本土派鼓舞，但梁未決定會否參選9月立法會選舉。反而由黃毓民創辦的普羅政治學苑，昨日聯同香港復興會和熱血公民，欲在選舉中分一杯羹，率先在新東補選落幕後宣布組成共同聯合陣線，公布立法會選舉初步部署，計劃在5區都派人參選，惟陣線不包括本土民主前線。聯合陣線正研究派出「城邦論」作者陳雲參選新界東的可能性，陳雲認為自己不會分薄梁天琦票源，反指可爭取更多本土派支持者。

不包本民前 擬5區齊選

熱血公民黃洋達說，按目前本土派在社會的認受性，相信新界東可容納兩隊或以上的本土派，更稱本土派可以在每區取得兩個議席，強調「必然有空間與本民前合作」。不過，黃毓民說，在比例代表制下，即使連泛民都無法協調，本土派兄弟都是各自修行，難以協調。

對於有人質疑陣線借梁天琦「抽水」，黃毓民主動回應，強調去年已部署這計劃，但今年發生很多事，因而昨日才公布，「我們從沒有私心」。

陣線正研究由鄭松泰出選新界西、鄭錦滿可能參選港島、陳雲或會出選新界東，黃毓民和黃洋達積極考慮在九龍出選。

青年新政：本土派難配票

除了上述陣線，多個年輕人組織都表明有意參選立法會，各方會否有機會協調？青年新政召集人梁頌恒表示，青政仍在思考立法會選舉部署，「未知搵咩同人傾」。

被問到多個本土派有意出選會否分薄票源，梁頌恒說大家都會互相影響。他認為本土派支持者都是自主意志，難以配票，估計本土派可共取得7席，分別是新東新西各取兩席，港島、九西和九東各得1席。

黎汶洛：重新評估部署

正在籌組新政黨的學民思潮前成員黎汶洛表示，會再按照補選的結果重新評估立法會選舉部署，同時亦要思考新政黨的政治路向和抗爭手法，但強調不會是市場導向。