Christopher Chung mulls leaving DAB to seek re-election
Pro-establishment lawmaker Christopher Chung Shu-kun, who represents Hong Kong Island, has vowed to seek re-election even after his party, the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB), said it is eyeing another candidate for the seat in the Legislative Council election in September.
In a statement responding to media enquiries, Chung said he is considering several options, including leaving the DAB of which he has been a member for decades, the Hong Kong Economic Journal reports.
Chung’s statement came after the DAB central committee said on Wednesday its vice chairman, Sai Wan district councilor Horace Cheung Kwok-kwan, will be its top candidate for the Hong Kong Island constituency in the upcoming polls, while Chung is its second pick.
Chung lost his long-time seat in the Eastern District Council to democracy activist Andy Chui Chi-kin in the district council election in November last year.
“I feel extremely sorry and helpless about the decision," Chung said in the statement, making it clear that he wants to be the party's top pick for the Legco seat.
He said he was told of the party's decision by chairwoman Starry Lee Wai-king before it was made official, but he refused to take the offer of being the second choice.
Chung said he won 33,000 ballots in the 2012 Legco election, the second highest number of votes garnered by any candidate in the pro-establishment camp, next only to that of Legco president Jasper Tsang Yok-sing.
He said this suggests his strong support from the electorate.
While questioning why DAB is not having two slates of candidates in the constituency, Chung maintained that he should be the party's top pick instead of Cheung if there is only one slate of candidates as the numbers would show that he stands a better chance of winning.
“I am superior to anyone in terms of experience, number of ballots, and chance of winning,” he said.
He suspected that the decision to make him the second choice might be related to strategies devised by the central government’s Liaison Office and the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions.
Chung stressed that he does not want to see DAB divided because of his leaving the party, if ever he decides to do so.
He also said whether he will join another party or form a new one will depend on his discussions with his team and the views of his supporters.
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