The Liberal Party is hoping to start afresh in district work by consolidating services in the district communities and fielding some younger candidates to compete in the upcoming District Council (DC) election, party Vice-Chairman Selina Chow said.

The party will parade not more than 25 candidates, with all having performed considerable district work over the past year or two.

Chow did not predict the chances of the candidates but acknowledged competition will be very keen in view of the large number of entrants from opposing political camps.

This year's DC election also provides added incentives, she noted, as five of the elected members will become "super DC members" to enter the Legislative Council, while 117 elected DC members will sit on the Election Committee that chooses the 2012 Chief Executive.

"We have adopted a more stringent approach to screen the candidates this time. Only party members with a proven record of district services up to the past two years are considered," she told China Daily. "Most of the recommended entrants live up to the party's requirements, with the exception of a few members who are not involved "deeply enough", while some drop out because they cannot afford time for district services due to family or career reasons."

In 2007, the party fielded 56 candidates. Only 14 were returned.

Chow said she is quite excited about the party's "young guns" as over 40 percent of the candidates are under 40 years old. The young candidates are more proactive, using innovative ways, including Facebook, to contact residents, and are more responsive to their opinions.

Recently, they organized social gatherings and exchanged views with possible candidates for the Chief Executive election.

"The party is supportive of young members with ideals and is happy to give them the chance to play leading roles," she said, beaming, adding that many political parties are getting old and need new blood.

Chow admitted the party's work at district level could not compare with the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong and the Democratic Party, which both have very strong, long-standing roots in the district communities.

"This time, we continue to target constituencies where we have gauged better support, say constituencies with a greater number of middle class, business and professional people," she said.

"We also aim at new sources of votes from large private housing complexes, hoping to get in touch with people who share our thinking and values."

She said the party has communicated with allied parties in the pro-establishment camps, in order to avoid clashes in the same constituencies but it is impossible to reach an "agreement" on all constituencies.

"Even if they are your allies, you can't ask them not to run because everybody wants to serve the citizens and many of them have done considerable district services," she said. "If they drop out now, they will disappoint their supporters. Win or lose, it is up to the choice of the voters."

joseph@chinadailyhk.com

China Daily

(HK Edition 09/23/2011 page1)