John Lee’s manifesto the basis from which he will be judged
With John Lee Ka-chiu poised to be the next Hong Kong chief executive, the campaign may not arouse public attention as much as it deserves. But the launch of his election manifesto yesterday is still a decisive moment in that it gives the Election Committee and the wider community a better idea of what to expect from his leadership. It is the basis from which he will be judged and held accountable over the next five years.
Titled “Starting a new chapter for Hong Kong together”, the 44-page document focuses on four areas – strengthening governance capability and tackling pressing livelihood issues together; streamlining procedures and providing more housing and better living; enhancing overall competitiveness and pursuing sustainable development; and building a caring and inclusive society and enhancing upwards mobility for youth. They are broad development directions pursued by successive administrations.
What really matters are the specifics. Among the highlights are the establishment of two high-level committees led by the secretaries of departments to speed up housing and land supply. Public housing applicants will be given the option to move in before the project’s overall infrastructure is complete, cutting the waiting time by one year. Lee stopped short of unveiling other housing initiatives, saying many proposals had been discussed and it was time for implementation. Separately, young people living in subdivided flats can join a pilot scheme that provides better training and mentoring to help tackle intergenerational poverty. Whether the initiatives make a difference to these long-standing problems will be closely watched.
Lee proposes a standing mobilisation protocol for departments to handle emergencies. But the reopening of the mainland border and international travel does not feature prominently in the manifesto. Evidently, this hinges on the prevailing epidemic situation. It is important that the matter be addressed with higher priority. There are also no populist platitudes, such as tax cuts and handouts. Issues about universal suffrage and the deepening political divide are also not mentioned. He is expected to face more questions in a televised forum this evening.
Lee said any missing items were due to space constraints rather than a lack of concern, adding that there would be more to come in future policy addresses. After three turbulent years of unrest and epidemic, Lee’s vision of again making the city inclusive, pluralistic and full of hope is shared by many in society. As he positions himself as a result-oriented leader, expectations for better governance are also raised. Whether the promises can resolve the trove of deep-seated problems will be followed by the public and Beijing.