Reuters AlertNet Lite - HK leader poised to win second term in March poll

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HK leader poised to win second term in March poll

16 Feb 2007 04:14:31 GMT
Source: Reuters

HONG KONG, Feb 16 (Reuters) - Beijing-backed Hong Kong leader Donald Tsang said on Friday he had won 641 nominations from an 800-person panel due to select the city's next chief executive, a result that all but cements his re-election in March.

Tsang's overwhelming backing for the March 25 secret ballot comes despite a spirited challenge from a respected barrister, Alan Leong, who made history on Wednesday by qualifying as the first ever pro-democracy challenger in such a leadership contest.

But Leong, a Civic Party legislator, only managed to secure 132 nominations from the same panel for the five-year post -- less than a quarter the number won by Tsang.

"I pledge that if I'm successful in getting a second term, I will do my very best for Hong Kong and will get the job of chief executive well done," Tsang told reporters outside the Electoral Affairs Commission, where he handed in his nomination forms.

Tsang's announcement was marred by a group of protesters shouting slogans denouncing the "small-circle" election, which gives most of Hong Kong's seven million people no vote.

Hong Kong reverted to Chinese rule in 1997 and the members of its election committee are largely sympathetic to Beijing.

Despite criticism of Tsang's ineffectual handling of the city's chronic air pollution and glacial progress on democratic reform, Tsang enjoys robust public support. A University of Hong Kong poll last week indicated 73 percent of people backed him as the city's next leader, versus 18 percent for Leong.

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Last updated:Fri Feb 16 04:16:27 2007