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Natalie Wong

Hong Kong leader John Lee Ka-chiu has indicated that a by-election to fill the legislative seat vacated by William Wong Kam-fai is a lower priority than preparing for three major polls over the next 18 months.
Wong resigned from the Legislative Council earlier this month following his arrest over an alleged drink-driving and hit-and-run incident.
Weighing in on the issue for the first time nearly a month after the disgraced lawmaker’s resignation, the chief executive stressed on Tuesday that electoral authorities must weigh the “necessity of a poll” against manpower and logistics constraints.
Lee’s comments provide the clearest signal yet from the government that the vote will not proceed, after Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Janice Tse Siu-wa cited time constraints and concerns about the cost-effectiveness of holding such a poll.
“When we look at the three important elections we have in the next 18 months, our priority must be successfully conducting these three polls rather than the by-election for the vacant Legco seat, in terms of time and workload,” Lee said.
The three scheduled polls are the Election Committee subsector election this November, the chief executive poll next March and the district council election towards the end of next year.

Lee said factors such as manpower, venue arrangements and the procurement of election materials must be considered “based on the actual situation” when electoral authorities weigh the “necessity of a poll”.
He was speaking after the launch of a new meeting format for what he called a “rules-free, warm-hearted” dialogue, aimed at fostering a stronger executive-legislative consensus.
Standing alongside the city leader, Legco president Starry Lee Wai-king said that the legislature, as an “important working partner” of the government, should cooperate with the chief executive to complete important governance tasks.
“I believe every member understands that we need to go the extra mile, support each other, and share the burden in response to this unpredictable change,” she said.
Legco currently has 89 members following Wong’s resignation. The former lawmaker stepped down after crashing his car into two parked vehicles on campus at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Wong was also suspended by the university from administrative duties after his arrest on suspicion of drink-driving and hit-and-run.


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Hong Kong politics

Holding by-election to replace disgraced lawmaker low priority, John Lee says

Former lawmaker William Wong was previously arrested for drink-driving. Photo: Handout

Legco currently has 89 members after Wong resigned from his position earlier this month. Photo: Dickson Lee

Chief Executive John Lee (left) and Legco president Starry Lee stand together after the city’s leader’s dialogue with lawmakers. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Officials have expressed concerns about time constraints and the cost-effectiveness of holding such a poll. Photo: Karma Lo

Hong Kong unlikely to hold Legco by-election for seat vacated by William Wong

William Wong has become the first lawmaker to resign from the Legislative Council over a scandal in more than two decades. Photo: Handout

Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Janice Tse (centre) says authorities received 2,500 submissions during a public consultation on the city’s first five-year plan, with nearly half on livelihood issues. Photo: Karma Lo

Legco could tighten members’ code after William Wong drink-driving case: Starry Lee

William Wong resigned as a lawmaker on Friday. Photo: Handout

Police chief Joe Chow says William Wong’s case is still under investigation. Photo: Elson Li

News

Hong Kong

Politics

City leader says Hong Kong must focus on three important elections in the next 18 months, in terms of ‘time and workload’


City leader says Hong Kong must focus on three important elections in the next 18 months, in terms of ‘time and workload’.


Legislative Council of Hong Kong (Legco)

John Lee

Holding by-election to replace disgraced lawmaker low priority, John Lee says

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}City leader says Hong Kong must focus on three important elections in the next 18 months, in terms of ‘time and workload’

City leader says Hong Kong must focus on three important elections in the next 18 months, in terms of ‘time and workload’