43 h. ago Hong Kong lawmaker Michael Tien to step down from Legco, Mark Chong to contest

Hong Kong lawmaker Michael Tien Puk-sun has announced that he will not seek another term, becoming the latest veteran to opt out of the Legislative Council election in December. Tien, 75, on Monday said he was ready to step down and pass on the torch, instead of wondering whether to seek re-election again “when I will be 79 or even 83”. He promised to keep contributing to Hong Kong and the country, while continuing to offer guidance on railway policies. Meanwhile, Mark Chong Ho-fung, of the...

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43 h. ago Veteran Hong Kong lawmakers Michael Tien and Tony Tse are to step down from Legco

Hong Kong lawmakers Michael Tien Puk-sun and Tony Tse Wai-chuen have become the latest political veterans to decide against running in the coming Legislative Council election, leaving only two of 12 members aged over 70 still to reveal their plans. The Post has also learned that a traditional valedictory motion set to be moved on Wednesday, marking the end of the legislative term, is likely to be withdrawn. The traditional end-of-term banquet was cancelled last week. Tien, 75, said on Monday...

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4 d. ago Hong Kong veteran lawmaker Michael Tien says he may retire ahead of election

Veteran lawmaker Michael Tien Puk-sun has said he is considering stepping down following a wave of senior Hong Kong legislators over 70 who have revealed their decision to retire. Separately, the Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong (BPA) pledged to field more “new faces” in the coming poll after four of its nine sitting lawmakers ruled out seeking re-election amid calls for more new blood in the Legislative Council. Tien, 75, said on Friday that he was thinking about dropping out...

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4 d. ago No ‘Beijing’s blessing’ or special treatment in Hong Kong election, office says

There is no such thing as a “blessing” or “special treatment” for candidates in Hong Kong’s coming Legislative Council poll, Beijing’s top office overseeing the city’s affairs has said, after at least 15 legislators decided against running for re-election. The Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office also said on Friday night that a change of lawmakers through Legco elections was standard practice and represented “the true meaning of democracy”. It said younger, more professional and innovative...

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5 d. ago Hong Kong’s new lawmakers must demonstrate ‘effective democracy’, John Lee says

Hong Kong’s new lawmakers should stay united and cooperate with the government to demonstrate “effective democracy” and the “perfect partnership of patriots”, the city’s leader has said. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu was speaking at a high-level seminar on Thursday centering on executive-legislature relations amid a wave of incumbent lawmakers announcing they will not seek re-election after the current Legislative Council wraps up next week. The seminar, titled “Executive-Legislative...

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5 d. ago Hong Kong’s new lawmakers must demonstrate ‘effective democracy’: John Lee

Hong Kong’s new lawmakers should stay united and cooperate with the government to demonstrate “effective democracy” and the “perfect partnership of patriots”, the city’s leader has said. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu was speaking at a high-level seminar on Thursday, centring on executive-legislature relations amid a wave of incumbent lawmakers announcing they will not seek re-election after the current Legislative Council wraps up next week. The seminar, titled “Executive-Legislative...

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6 d. ago Dennis Lam joins wave of Hong Kong lawmakers sitting out coming election

Lawmaker Dennis Lam Shun-chiu has said he will not seek another term in Hong Kong’s legislature, joining a growing wave of politicians opting to drop out of the coming election in December. Lam, who is also an ophthalmologist and has served as a local deputy to the National People’s Congress since 2008, said on Wednesday that he planned to instead focus on his work in sectors such as biotechnology and clinical medicine. “After careful consideration, I have decided to return to my profession and...

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6 d. ago Dennis Lam, Louis Loong join wave of Hong Kong lawmakers sitting out election

Lawmakers Dennis Lam Shun-chiu and Louis Loong Hon-biu have joined a wave of politicians opting not to run for election, while Hong Kong’s legislature has broken from tradition by cancelling an end-of-term banquet with the city’s leader and other officials. Authorities also said on Wednesday that the government would hold a high-level seminar on the coming Legislative Council election and executive-legislative relationship on Thursday, with Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu to speak at the...

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7 d. ago Hong Kong lawmakers gave nod to all government funding requests in 4

The Legislative Council’s Finance Committee approved all Hong Kong government funding applications over the four-year term, with its chairman on Tuesday defending lawmakers’ role in scrutinising the 261 projects worth nearly HK$700 billion (US$89.7 billion) in total. Committee chairman Ronick Chan Chun-ying also said that some government departments had failed to provide precise data requested by lawmakers during their scrutiny of the budget, urging authorities to step up data collection and...

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7 d. ago Hong Kong Exco will not change despite veteran lawmakers stepping down: John Lee

Hong Kong’s leader has signalled that the government’s key decision-making body, the Executive Council, will not be reshuffled after half of the eight veteran lawmakers serving as his advisers said they will not run in the coming Legislative Council elections. Martin Liao Cheung-kong, 68, who has served in Legco since 2012 and was affectionately known as the “class monitor” of the pro-establishment camp, emerged on Tuesday as the latest Exco member to announce that he would not to seek another...

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7 d. ago No Exco changes despite veteran Hong Kong lawmakers stepping down: John Lee

Hong Kong’s leader has signalled that the government’s key decision-making Executive Council will not be reshuffled after four veteran lawmakers, who serve as his advisers, decided not run in the coming Legislative Council election. Martin Liao Cheung-kong, 68, a lawmaker since 2012 and affectionately known as the “class monitor” of the pro-establishment camp, emerged on Tuesday as the latest Exco member to announce that he would not seek another term in the legislature. Three other veteran...

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8 d. ago Frankie Yick latest lawmaker to say he won’t run in Hong Kong’s Legco election

Another veteran Hong Kong lawmaker has announced his decision not to stand in the coming Legislative Council general election, bringing the total to at least 10 so far. The announcement by Frankie Yick Chi-ming, 72, came as another veteran senior politician, Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, said her party would also make an announcement regarding the election “in due course”, asking the media not to “harass” her. Yick, who represents the transport sector in the legislature, announced on Monday that he...

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8 d. ago Number of Hong Kong lawmakers opting out of Legco election reaches 12

Three more Hong Kong lawmakers have decided not to run for office in the coming Legislative Council election, bringing the total to at least 12 so far. Lo Wai-kwok, 71, chairman of the Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong; Frankie Yick Chi-ming, 72, from the Liberal Party; and Chow Man-kong, 44, all announced their decision not to seek another term on Monday. Their announcement came as veteran politician Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee said her party would also make an announcement “in due...

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9 d. ago More Hong Kong lawmakers opt out of Legco election, taking total to 8

Two more Hong Kong lawmakers have said they will not seek another term ahead of nominations opening later this month for the Legislative Council election, bringing the total to at least eight. Veteran lawmaker Jeffrey Lam Kin-fung, a vice-chairman of the Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong, said on Sunday that he would not stand for re-election. Lam, who turns 74 this month, represents the “Commercial (First)” functional constituency in Legco. The seat is reserved for a...

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9 d. ago 3 more Hong Kong lawmakers opt out of Legco election, taking total to 9

At least three more Hong Kong lawmakers have said they will not seek another term ahead of nominations opening later this month for the Legislative Council election, bringing the total to nine so far. Veteran lawmaker Jeffrey Lam Kin-fung, a vice-chairman of the Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong, said on Sunday that he would not stand for re-election. Lam, who turns 74 this month, represents the “Commercial (First)” functional constituency in Legco. The seat is reserved for a...

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1 week ago Hong Kong lawmakers back Lee’s blueprint, but raise fears over labour imports

Hong Kong’s legislature has passed a motion thanking the city leader for his latest policy address, but some lawmakers have raised concerns about the import of labour amid rising unemployment while calling on him to defend the interests of residents. The Legislative Council concluded a three-day debate on Friday and passed a motion thanking Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu for his annual policy blueprint unveiled last month, in which he rolled out a new accountability system for department...

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2 w. ago Hong Kong must look beyond age in selecting ‘capable’ lawmakers

With less than three weeks left of the current Legislative Council term, speculation is high about who’s in and who’s out for the next Legco. Elections are due to take place on December 7. However, before voters head to the polls, candidates must first clinch their nominations from the Election Committee. To run for either the Election Committee, functional or geographical constituencies, a person must get nominated by at least two Election Committee members from each of the committee’s five...

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3 w. ago Hong Kong lawmaker denies exaggerating rival’s role in chaotic meeting

A Hong Kong lawmaker has denied exaggerating his evidence against a political rival from the opposition camp to get him convicted of obstructing a Legislative Council meeting in the lead-up to the 2019 anti-government protests. Holden Chow Ho-ding testified at West Kowloon Court on Monday against ex-legislator Lam Cheuk-ting over his alleged role in clashes between the two rival camps on May 11, 2019. Chow, a Beijing loyalist, maintained that he had witnessed Lam trying to use whatever means to...

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3 w. ago Hong Kong passes new legislation to regulate notorious subdivided flats

Hong Kong lawmakers have passed new legislation to regulate the city’s notorious subdivided flats, with enforcement efforts set to begin in 2027 and landlords able to register their properties from as early as next March. Following the second and third readings, the Legislative Council on Friday morning approved the Basic Housing Units Bill, which requires all subdivided flats to meet new standards for “basic housing units”. These include a minimum size of 86 sq ft, a ceiling height of 2.3...

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3 w. ago Hong Kong passes legislation to regulate notorious subdivided flats

Lawmakers have passed legislation regulating Hong Kong’s notorious subdivided flats, with enforcement efforts set to begin in 2027 and landlords able to register their properties from as early as next March. The Legislative Council on Friday morning approved the Basic Housing Units Bill, which requires all subdivided flats to meet new standards for “basic housing units”. These include a minimum size of 86 sq ft, a ceiling height of 2.3 metres (7.5 feet), proper windows and at least one toilet...

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