Three contenders join in Q&A forum

HONG KONG: Three contenders for next chief executive of Hong Kong joined in a Q&A forum to answer questions from both members of a 1,200-member election committee and citizens.

The forum, sponsored by the Registration and Electoral Office of the city government, was the last competition broadcast live to the city’s seven million people on Monday, prior to Sunday’s election.

The three candidates were Leung Chun-ying, former convenor of the non-official members of the executive council of Hong Kong; Albert Ho, a lawmaker who is also head of a local political party; and Henry Tang, former chief secretary of the city government.

In more than two hours of forum, the three contenders answered 13 questions from election committee members and six questions from citizens.

The questions were about education, economic development, medicare, political development, comments of candidates and relations between Hong Kong and China’s mainland.

The three candidates were nominated on Feb 29, with Leung winning support from 305 members and Tang receiving support from 390 out of the 1,200 election committee members.

Ho’s nomination was endorsed by 188 members.

The main polling station and the central counting station will be located at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

— Reuters Angry voice: Lawmaker and pro-democracy activist Leung Kwok-hung protesting against Hong Kong chief executive candidates and demanding universal suffrage during a debate organised by the election committee members.