Patriot criteria just tough to bend for some

Members of the three district committees were prudent when nominating candidates for the district council elections as they did not want to inadvertently nominate a non-patriot, Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macau Studies consultant Lau Siu-kai says.

Except for large pro-establishment parties, minor pro-establishment and pro-democracy parties have found it challenging to obtain nominations from the 2,533 members of the three district committees - the district fight crime committee, area committee and district fire safety committee.

"Everyone hopes that the candidate they nominated is an absolute patriot inside-out. They did not want to nominate a candidate who they were not 100 percent sure whether he or she is a patriot," Lau said. "Or else, they would be causing trouble for themselves. They were prudent - or they were protecting themselves."

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has said the district council elections are open and transparent.

"For people who cannot obtain sufficient nominations it may be because nominees think that they cannot fulfill their duty as district councillors, have reservations regarding their performance or do not believe that they will sincerely uphold the Basic Law and swear allegiance to Hong Kong," Lee said last week.

Candidates who will be unable to snatch enough nominations should analyze their issues, Lee said, adding that nominations should not be given but earned.

Lee Shing-put, chairman of the Northern District Fire Safety Committee, wrote in a commentary that the three district committee members' roles are becoming critical.

"Members should undergo serious consideration and make good use of their rights to nominate a candidate," Lee Shing-put said.

"Members should understand that they are nominating on behalf of Hong Kong citizens, therefore they should consider whether they know him or her, whether they are committed to community service and whether they are patriots or not."