The intense competition in the 8th Legislative Council election of the Hong Kong SAR has concluded, with the 90 seats now settled. In the New Territories Southeast constituency, candidate Christine Fong received 58,828 votes, becoming the highest vote-getter in the geographical constituency, while in the Kowloon East constituency, the re-elected member from the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions (HKFTU), Bill Tang, garnered 53,675 votes, claiming the title of "king of votes."
When the election results were announced, the atmosphere was emotional both on and off the stage. Christine Fong tearfully thanked each of her supporters after contesting the Legislative Council election five times without success. Reflecting on her difficult journey, she said, "Miracles are the result of accumulated failures. After multiple attempts, I have finally been elected. It's not about the number of votes, but the trust the citizens have placed in me."
Tang also expressed his gratitude, saying, "Every vote is a trust and a mandate. Each vote is not only a support for the candidate but also a hope for improving society. I promise to work even harder, to cherish the trust of the voters, and to continue contributing to HK's development."
Fong: Residents can contact me immediately when they need help
Christine Fong, an engineer with a master's degree in fire and safety engineering, has been involved in district work for 17 years. After five unsuccessful attempts, she finally achieved the "highest vote" honor. She said yesterday (Dec. 8) that throughout her political journey, there were always people advising her to give up and focus on her career as a professional, where she could earn more, but she had never wavered. "I have already decided to dedicate myself to the community because when many residents need help, they contact me first."
She never felt alone in her political path, but the passing of her parents during the COVID-19 pandemic, who had been her "loyal fans," was a giant blow. She shared that her mother had filled their home with her campaign posters over the years during her tenure as a District Council member. "Now that my parents can't see my achievement of being elected as a Legislative Council member, it's a bit regretful," she said. Her greatest wish now is to tell her parents in the afterlife, "Your daughter has made it!"
And she couldn't fully rejoice because of the recent tragedy of the fire in Tai Po, which left many families suffering. Instead, she noticed that citizens were increasingly concerned about building maintenance and safety. She described the road ahead as challenging, noting that even just following up on the fire incident involved many complex issues, particularly the relationships between contractors, procurement processes, incorporated owners, and property management companies. "In reality, when small property owners form their own management corporations, their knowledge about repairs is usually quite limited," she explained. She also pointed out that the current threshold for Smart Tender at the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) is too high, and she hopes that improvements can be made in the future.
Tang emphasizes doing his utmost to meet public expectations
Bill Tang, who first entered the Legislative Council in 2012 through the Labour functional constituency, lost the 2016 New Territories East geographical constituency race and subsequently suffered two more defeats in the 2018 LegCo by-election and the 2019 District Council election—three consecutive losses. Through persistent effort, however, he was elected for two consecutive terms afterward. In an interview with Wen Wei Po yesterday, he said that since joining the HKFTU at age 23, he has devoted himself wholeheartedly to grassroots services and the protection of labor rights. Reflecting on his political career, he said frankly that he has been a witness to and participant in and hopes to be a builder of HK's social and political changes. He stressed that whether it was his early grassroots work or his later efforts in the legislature to push for the abolition of MPF offsetting and the increase of statutory holidays, all were results of his commitment to improving grassroots livelihoods.
Tang also noted that HK's political environment once faced serious challenges due to the 2019 violence incidents and social turmoil, but that stability has gradually returned following improvements to the electoral system. As a Legislative Council member, he said, one must not only put forward policy proposals but also take concrete action, leading different sectors of society to solve problems together. He is particularly concerned about elderly care and community safety, and plans to introduce more practical measures in the future to improve residents' lives. "Every vote is a responsibility and an affirmation of my work. I will give my all to meet the expectations of the public," he said.
Yiu Pak-leung: Facilitating cross-industry and government communication
In the Election Committee constituency, Yiu Pak-leung—who moved from the Tourism functional constituency—won 1,397 votes to become the "vote king," while Rebecca Chan, who secured re-election in the same constituency, won 1,386 votes to become the "vote queen." After being elected, Yiu said that over the past four years, he had been dedicated to promoting the recovery of the tourism industry in the Legislative Council. He believes the election results show voters' recognition of his work and demonstrate society's strong emphasis on tourism development. He hopes to quickly begin work in the new term—on one hand, better aligning with national development strategies, and on the other, more actively fostering communication and cooperation between industries and the government, contributing more to HK's overall development.
Rebecca Chan: Making policies better meet society's real needs
Rebecca Chan said with a smile that her first priority after winning the election is to spend time with her children. "When I first ran in 2018, my child was in Primary One; now they are in Form Two. Their understanding and support mean a lot to me." She added that this term's Election Committee constituency winners come from diverse sectors with a wide range of backgrounds and strengths, describing them as "complementing one another." She believes the group will diligently fulfill its legislative responsibilities and help ensure that the HKSAR government's policies more closely match society's actual needs and better serve the public.
(Source: Wen Wei Po | Engish Editor: Zara, Kiki)
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