Participation in the Legislative Council (LegCo) election is crucial for ethnic minorities, as it aligns with their vital interests. Some ethnic minority first-time voters told Wen Wei Po that, as part of Hong Kong society, they would cast their sacred vote for their future.
They also shared their observations on community and ethnic group development, hoping the future government would support the development of ethnic minority women. They look forward to the future government and LegCo members working together to promote more restaurants offering halal food certified by a recognized authority, thereby developing the Muslim economy.
Ethnic minority student Lee, who just turned 19 this year, is a first-year student at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. She has already registered to vote. Speaking about this Legislative Council election, which she can participate in for the first time, she said she is satisfied with life in her community and will focus on whether the candidates' platforms mention the needs of ethnic minorities. She will also use various channels to understand the candidates' experience.
Promoting community support for ethnic minorities
For Sunny, a youth of Bangladeshi descent, the significance of voting lies in the hope of increasing connection and communication between ethnic minorities and the wider society. He also shared his personal experience with Wen Wei Po, believing that communication is vital for ethnic minorities to better integrate into Hong Kong society. He just graduated from university this year, and although facing the challenge of finding a job, he will take the opportunity to do more volunteer work.
"I am happy to use my expertise to help others." He hopes the seventh-term LegCo will promote greater community support to help ethnic minorities integrate into society and build connections.
Daniel, who works for a social welfare organization, is a Hong Kong-born individual of Pakistani descent. He is very concerned about this LegCo election and hopes to convey the voices of ethnic minorities to the candidates through Wen Wei Po.
According to Daniel, many ethnic minority families in Hong Kong have women who have recently arrived. Due to cultural differences, such as language and religious beliefs, they often stay at home, while the primary breadwinners in the family work long hours, making it difficult for women to integrate into society and recognize their value. He hopes that in the future, districts will provide workshops for ethnic minority women to learn Chinese so that daily communication, such as going to the wet market, becomes easier, allowing them to gradually integrate into society.
Daniel also noted that, having grown up in Hong Kong, he is pleased to see society gradually moving towards integration, especially with the recent development of the Muslim economy.
"When ethnic minorities organize events, group catering is a problem. Buffets are too expensive, and à la carte options are very limited." He particularly looks forward to the new-term LegCo members continuing to focus on promoting halal certification for more Hong Kong restaurants so that more restaurants can obtain it, which would be more convenient for both attracting tourists and the daily lives of local ethnic minorities.
Jalal, from Bangladesh, said that he hopes this election will be highly competitive, with everyone fully demonstrating their platforms and views, allowing citizens to elect more representative members. He expects ethnic minorities in Hong Kong to actively exercise their voting rights and hopes that LegCo members will have a positive impact on their future.
He also expressed that he feels fortunate to have the opportunity to vote in this election, intends to exercise his voting rights in accordance with the law, and encourages his friends to participate actively.
(Source: Wen Wei Po; Journalists: Kang Jing, Zero Wong)
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