HKFTU also expected to announce its non-participation

HONG KONG: The Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB), as expected, decided not to take part in the Legislative Council by-elections forced by the resignations of five opposition lawmakers.

Another pro-establishment organization, the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions, is expected to announce today a similar decision to snub the by-elections.

The DAB central committee met last night to rectify the decision to distance itself from the by-elections, which it maintains are being exploited by the League of Social Democrats and the Civic Party as a "referendum and uprising" campaign.

After the meeting, party chairman Tam Yiu-chung said the central committee considered it a melodrama for lawmakers to resign and then take part in the ensuing by-elections.

"Their movement is not only deceiving the public, wasting taxpayers' money, but also detrimental to constitutional development in Hong Kong," he said.

The party has received feedback from their supporters and members of the public suggesting that they should not participate in the by-elections.

"We have therefore decided not to take part in the by-elections," he told the media.

Sources said the DAB was at the beginning dominated by "hawks" who were very eager to take on the by-elections and win more seats. Their enthusiasm remained high despite the grave concern of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office under the State Council regarding the so-called "referendum" via its statement on January 15, sources said.

But they began to soften their stance in the following days, according to sources.

As to whether the party would support non-DAB members' or allies' participation in the by-elections, Tam said that would require the central committee's approval.

But he did not say whether the party would abstain from voting and discourage people from voting in order to bring the voter turnout rate to a low level and to discredit the opposition camp.

Tam echoed calls for a law amendment to prevent lawmakers from resigning and then running in the by-elections in the same legislative session.

(HK Edition 02/03/2010 page1)