Two of the most recently disqualified pro-democracy lawmakers are among the city’s best performers in Legco, according to a university public opinion programme
From left: Edward Yiu Chung-yim, Nathan Law Kwun-chung, Leung Kwok-hung and Lau Siu-lai.According to a public opinion poll released on Tuesday, two of Hong Kong’s most recently disqualified pan-democratic lawmakers are ranked among the city’s best performers in the Legislative Council.
Localist Lau Siu-lai and “Long Hair” Leung Kwok-hung of the League of Social Democrats have been named in a top 10 list compiled by the University of Hong Kong public opinion programme. They took seventh and ninth place respectively.
The study was conducted in two stages. In the first stage, done in the first week of July, 832 respondents aged 18 or above were asked to name up to 10 lawmakers whom they knew the best. In the second stage, 804 respondents within the same age group were asked to rate the performances of the 12 most frequently named lawmakers.
Lau scored 41.6 marks out of 100, while Leung scored 37.5 in the survey. Last Friday, one day after the poll was completed, Lau, Leung and fellow pan-democrats Nathan Law Kwun-chung and Edward Yiu Chung-yim were stripped of their Legco seats. The High Court ruled that they took improper, invalid oaths of office last October, when they added extra words or actions to their swearing-in ceremonies.
Another localist, Eddie Chu Hoi-dick, came third in the poll with 52 marks. Chu also faces possible disqualification from Legco because of a legal challenge against his oath-taking last October.
Chinese University’s Department of Government and Public Administration associate professor Ma Ngok told Young Post yesterday that the poll reflected Chu’s “king of votes” status in the Legislative Council elections last September.
Topping the poll was Democrat James To Kun-sun, with a score of 56.2 marks. He was followed by Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, of the pro-establishment New People’s Party and an Executive Councillor. She scored 53 marks.
Others named in the top 10 were three pro-establishment lawmakers: Starry Lee Wai-king, Ann Chiang Lai-wan, and Holden Chow Ho-ding. They took sixth, eighth, and tenth respectively, with scores of 46.3, 41.6, and 36.6. All three hail from the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong.
Rounding out the top 10 were pan-democrats Tanya Chan of the Civic Party, who came fourth with 49.8 marks, and her former party colleague Claudia Mo Man-ching, now an independent, who claimed fifth with 47.1 marks.