Top seats for all councillors and many unsuccessful candidates

All district councillors have been appointed to the three district committees under the Home Affairs Department, along with 105 unsuccessful election candidates.

Secretary for Youth and Home Affairs Alice Mak Mei-kuen said the designations were not "pork barrel appointments."

The government announced yesterday the list of 2,999 members of the three district committees in each of the city's 18 districts, representing an increase of 466 members compared to the previous term.

The 470 district councillors were appointed to one of the three committees: Area Committee, District Fight Crime Committee, and District Fire Safety Committee. These committees have the power to nominate district councillors.

At least 105 candidates who lost in last year's district council election were also appointed to the three district committees. That figure is 78 percent of the total number of candidates who lost.

Among those were members of traditional pro-establishment parties, such as TV host Adrianna Sung Chih-ling from the Liberal Party and Jeff Wong Sau-tung from the New People's Party.

Nontraditional pro-establishment party members who failed to get elected were also appointed, including New Prospect for Hong Kong's Ma Chi-hang and Koby Wong Lok-yin, as well as Roundtable's Chong Ho-fung.

Centrist group Path of Democracy's Sam Ip Chun-sang, who also lost in the polls, was appointed as well.

The candidate who received the fewest votes in last year's election, independent Islam Muhammad Fakhrul, was appointed to the Area Committee of Yau Tsim Mong South.

Mak said appointing all district councillors to the committees is not a new arrangement.

"This allows councillors to better understand the committees' work and provides them with more opportunities to participate in community work," she said.

"We hope members of the district councils, district committees, and care teams can cooperate and achieve a synergy effect."

Mak said the government is not engaging in "pork barrel appointments" by bringing in candidates who lost in the elections, adding that the designations were based on factors such as patriotism, love for Hong Kong, familiarity with the district, and passion for serving the district.

Also, she said people have shown confidence in the government by openly expressing their opinions about the community, such as the recent criticism of the flower installation outside East Kowloon Cultural Centre. Some said the display resembled a funeral hall due to its initial all-white color.

"The government is more concerned about its work going unnoticed and the positive aspect of people seeing the work and providing feedback for quick improvements," Mak said.

michael.shum@singtaonewscorp.com