Apparent outsider hands over pile of nominations bigger than John Tsang’s
Woo Kwok-hing has become the second person to officially enter Hong Kong’s leadership election, handing over a stack of nominations bigger that of former finance chief John Tsang Chun-wah. On Monday afternoon, the retired judge arrived at the Electoral Affairs Commission office in Wan Chai with more than 180 nominations. If poll staff validate those nominations – which they were expected to do by Tuesday – the 71-year-old would become the second candidate in the March 26 poll. He would join Tsang, whose 160 nominations the commission ruled valid on Monday morning. Seen as the underdog, despite , Woo is viewed as a moderate pro-establishment figure with recognition from across the political spectrum. Former chief secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor is expected to join Tsang and Woo on the ballot. Lam, Beijing’s preferred choice, finally unveiled her manifesto on Monday and said she would submit her nominations on Tuesday, a day before nominations close. The fourth prominent hopeful, former security chief Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, on Monday to get enough nominations. Entrants need 150 nominations from the 1,194-member Election Committee to qualify, and at least 601 votes from the same committee to win. A earlier this month showed 42.5 per cent of respondents preferred Tsang to replace current chief executive Leung Chun-ying – more than supported any other candidate. After handing in his forms, Woo said he had forfeited six nominations, handing in 180 from the 186 he turned up with.
