District election nominations 'not easy to get'

Nominations for the district council election are not designed to be easily obtained but should be won through hard work in the community, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said.

This came slightly more than a week after the nomination period for the December 10 election started. Nominations close on Monday.

Lee said the administration has done what it can, with the Home Affairs Department referring candidates in over 300 cases to get in touch with members of the three committees in each district empowered to make nominations.

"I have seen lesser-known new faces obtaining sufficient nominations. This shows the mechanism is running smoothly," he said.

"It is paramount that the electoral rules are fair, impartial and open in the public eye," he added.

Whether candidates are able to get sufficient nominations, Lee said, hinges on the perception and knowledge of candidates by the committees' members.

"Members might think a candidate cannot fulfill a district councilor's duties, have reservations about a candidate's performance, or not believe a candidate is a patriot, will uphold the Basic Law and bear allegiance toward the SAR," he said.

"It is the nominees' social responsibility to determine whether candidates fulfill these requirements. Candidates unable to meet the basic requirements should find out their own problems."

Independent Legislative Council member Tik Chi-yuen said the committees' members should only nominate candidates based on whether or not they love the country and Hong Kong.

"They should not base their choices on working styles or they will be doing the work of voters," Tik said.

Executive Council convener and New People's Party chief Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee said her party has received information from members from Roundtable - led by its convener, Legco member Michael Tien Puk-sun - in their bid for nominations.

This came after Tien said Roundtable members found it difficult to obtain nominations, leading Ip to urge them to seek nominations from her party members who sit on the committees.

"We will call a party meeting to discuss and study whether we agree with the philosophy of the candidates as well as the nominations we have in the three district committees of Tuen Mun before reaching a conclusion," she said.