Election forums for Hong Kong’s “patriots only” legislative polls will resume on Wednesday, after they were suspended for about a week in the wake of the fatal Tai Po blaze, Chief Secretary Eric Chan has said.
Asked by reporters on Tuesday whether it would be appropriate to hold the forums and elections while the city was still grieving, Chan said that the forums would resume, but celebrations, including a free concert to boost poll turnout, would be cancelled.
He said that during the election forums, Legislative Council (LegCo) candidates would be asked about the deadly fire and that the events would give voters a chance to familiarise themselves with the contenders.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the death toll in the Wang Fuk Court blaze had risen to 156. The inferno broke out last week, 11 days before Hong Kong’s second “patriots only” legislative polls.
Just hours earlier on Tuesday, Hong Kong leader John Lee said the election would go ahead as scheduled on Sunday.
‘Best way to help’
“We really do need a Legislative Council as soon as possible,” Chan told reporters in Cantonese. “Our efforts to help those affected by the [Wang Fuk Court] fire must be supported by LegCo.”
The legislature would also be responsible for approving funding applications for fire relief efforts, Chan added.
“We hope that all eligible voters can come out and cast their ballots,” he said. “This is the best way to help.”
Speaking at the same press conference, Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang, whose bureau oversees electoral affairs, said that dedicated social workers assigned to help residents of Wang Fuk Court who have temporarily resettled in transitional homes would arrange transportation for the residents on voting day.
He added that other residents in the area affected by special traffic arrangements would be able to go to polling stations by dedicated shuttle buses.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the death toll in the Wang Fuk Court blaze had risen to 156. The inferno broke out on Wednesday last week, 11 days before Hong Kong’s second “patriots only” legislative polls.
