Hong Kong to vote in election as city mourns deadly fire

Hong Kongers are voting in an election seen as a test of public sentiment after a deadly fire that angered some in the city.

The government has launched a major campaign to encourage Hong Kongers to elect members of the Legislative Council (LegCo). All candidates were vetted to ensure they were loyal to China.

The elections come at a time when many people are mourning the Tai Po fire that killed nearly 160 people last month.

While some Hong Kongers have raised questions about the incident in recent days, authorities have distributed aid to survivors, arrested suspects and tried to increase building security.

A total of 161 candidates are competing for 90 seats in LegCo, which acts as a mini-parliament and can make and change laws.

This election is the second since 2021, when China made sweeping changes to Hong Kong’s electoral system to ensure only “patriots” could run for seats.

Beijing has said the changes, introduced shortly after the 2019 protests, were necessary to ensure stability in Hong Kong, but critics say they undermine democracy.

The last poll, conducted shortly after these changes, saw the lowest turnout ever, at 30%, amid widespread voter apathy.

This year, the government covered the city with posters urging Hong Kongers to go to the polls, offering free gifts and shopping discounts.

After voting, each person will receive a “thank you card” that can be used for coupons at selected stores and restaurants or for beauty services, medical check-ups and insurance policy premiums.

Authorities also offer free admission to public swimming pools and museums on voting day, organize carnivals in various neighborhoods, and organize televised variety shows and galas.

They also created cartoon mascots and an election theme tune called “Let’s Vote, Together We Create the Future,” based on Cantopop star Aaron Kwok’s 2001 hit song.

Secretary General Eric Chan told reporters last month that the measures were aimed at ensuring a “happy and festive mood” and “making the public understand the importance of the election”.

But in recent days, the city has been focusing on the Nov. 26 fire that engulfed the high-rise residential blocks at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po’s northern district.

The fire was the worst fire in Hong Kong in more than 70 years. The death toll, now at 159, is expected to rise further as authorities continue to collect bodies.

As Hong Kong mourns the deaths, some are asking whether the fire could have been prevented and questioning building safety standards. Many Hong Kongers live in decrepit high-rise buildings similar to Wang Fuk Court.

Authorities later ordered an independent committee to investigate the cause of the fire and arrested 13 people on suspicion of manslaughter.

They also ordered the removal of scaffolding netting used in all building renovations throughout the city. Inspectors found that the scaffolding mesh used for renovations at Wang Fuk Court did not meet flame-retardant standards, and the fire spread quickly due to the mesh and other flammable materials outside the buildings.

Authorities also moved quickly to suppress dissent. Police reportedly detained a man on suspicion of rioting on Saturday, who was part of a group petitioning for an independent investigation. The petition was also deleted from the internet.

Two more people, including a former district councillor, were detained by police.

Following the fire, political campaigns for the LegCo election were immediately suspended, but government-organized discussion forums resumed a few days later. Carnivals organized for the election campaign were also canceled.

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee insisted LegCo elections go ahead as planned and said “we need to move forward before we turn our grief into strength.”

He said new lawmakers will be able to quickly support reconstruction and reforms.

John P Burns, a professor emeritus at the University of Hong Kong and an expert on Chinese politics, said he believed the government would interpret the high turnout as a sign that voters perceived Hong Kong’s reshaped political system as “relatively legitimate”.

But he expected numbers to be low, partly due to the Tai Po fire.

He noted that most Hong Kongers have traditionally supported the pan-democratic opposition and that they have been effectively prevented from participating. “I think they won’t be convinced to participate this time, just like they mostly stayed away in 2021,” he said.

He added that it would also be difficult for the government to mobilize pro-establishment voters in the wake of the fire.

Prof Burns noted that some people in this camp would be impressed by how quickly authorities rehomed those left homeless by the fire, and by the assistance authorities had provided that was “quick and relatively generous in every respect”.

But he said others may “stay away from the polls” because they are “frustrated, even angry, by the governance issues the fire has posed.”

Hong Kong’s national security office this week republished a comment from a pro-Beijing news outlet urging residents to vote to show support for the government’s reconstruction efforts.

“Building a good future together starts with this vote. If you truly love Hong Kong, you should vote sincerely,” the comment said.

This year’s LegCo elections will feature a number of new faces, with nearly a quarter of incumbent MPs resigning.

According to local media reports, Beijing has pressured many lawmakers to retire because they set an unofficial age limit.

Some of those leaving office are over 70 years old, including prominent politician Regina Ip, a former security chief nicknamed the “Iron Lady”.