Hong Kong’s regional government plans to continue its current policy of allowing only those who are patriotic to become legislators in the mainland Chinese ways. This is scheduled for the coming Sunday despite the recent deadly fire in the city and the continuing uncertainty over the accountability question of the fire deaths. Though the citizens are still in shock, the officials must find a way to comply with the legal time limits while keeping the public’s trust.
The city in mourning after the Tai Po fire
A gigantic fire nearly razed the residential Waung Fuk Court area of Tai Po, and this fire cost the authorities the lives of over one hundred people. Then, they had to gradually increase the count to one hundred and fifty-nine when the searchers came across more charred bodies, but the count was not considered final and it was pending the official forensic results. The situation of the fire was pretty clear to the families of the fatalities through the DNA tests, so most of them were able to give their consent for cremation of the bodies once the bodies were positively identified.
Officials reacted by saying that the respective buildings that are under major maintenance should forthwith remove of such nets. With regard to the issue, there are specific suspected construction bosses and site managers that have already been arrested by the police on suspicion of manslaughter. Along the same lines, there have also been arrests related to the fire alarms in the estate that are accused of not working. Furthermore, the corruption team is carrying out investigations for any fraud and cheating and collusion and bribes in the renovation contracts.
Reason behind the run of the election
The Chief Executive John Lee is the one who is insisting on the need for the election so that there is no break in the different systems that are in place. He also points out that the elected members have to be very quick with the post-disaster reconstruction, safety law changes, and helping the families that were most hit by the calamity. ‘We must take a step first to build our grief into strength,’ he said.
For the time being, campaigners were not actively promoting their political goals, but the election-related activities on the official side had returned, even if very cautiously. The candidates were very modest in their deeds, and saying, ‘We have taken down our placards,’ legislator Regina Ip revealed her belief that the turn-up would be much less than usual due to peoples’ intense shock.
Pro-establishment groups are vociferous in their complaints about the election delay causing a legislative stalemate. The administration also argues that it does not have the power to immediately implement changes as the term of the current government team will expire shortly. The unambiguous implication is that the national administration will not be handicapped, not even in the tragedy’s face.
Mourners resist the usual economics-of-business as they mourn
For the people in Tai Po, the election still seems very distanced. One party from the pro-establishment camp had a large banner put up near the burnt building which was a great annoyance to the people who had come only to mourn. ‘It is really annoying if you ask me. I feel it is disrespectful, too,’ said Trent Heung, laying flowers and arriving early. Some of them, however, told the authorities to make their first and foremost duty the care for the survivors and the families of the dead and not to get busy with the typical political and ceremony.
Residents are in toss up between the declaration of failure in government oversight and the need to regulate such future occurrences. It’s the police that confirmed that inflammable materials were used during the reconstruction and why those checks did not identify them is a question many are asking. Local resident Joyce Fong said, ‘The whole system is full of warning signs and failures. And yet they’re still running elections? What’s the point?’
Since the fire, police have arrested a number of individuals, among them a former district councillor and a student who was advocating for an independent investigation. Both suspects were later released on bail. The National security officials, who caution against those who might want to capitalize on the crisis, have given assurances they will continue to monitor and take necessary actions to prevent any destabilising incidents.
Reforms in election process change the electoral landscape
The second citywide poll after the 2021 electoral reform implemented in Beijing was on Sunday. The new regulation was directed at cutting the number of directly elected places from 35 to 20 in a 90-member chamber. It also included the harsh national security screening of the candidatures. The not directly elected positions are to be filled by an open and unlabeled voting method which is sure to further bring the ruling establishment to power.
It has become a crime to advocate for boycotting the elections, which was done by the pan-democrats in the past and which group used to make up the majority of the electorate. Over the years, the pan-democrats have become the most influencing group in Hong Kong politically. In the 2016 election, the turnout was 58.3%, which declined to 30.2% in 2021, a new lowest for a legislative poll.
This year, for the first time, the number of registered voters also decreased, which was about 4.47 million in 2021, and this year it was about 4.13 million. Nobody expects a big leap in the voter turnout, who instead of political aspirations are driven by economic struggles. For the central government, turnout is and remains one of the key indicators of public authority. On the other hand, is the residents’ confidence which is being put to the test.
The voter registration process this year has seen a reduction
While the fire was still being investigated, the discussion about who is to blame was almost nonexistent among the candidates. Many of those running from the areas including Tai Po as well as people who work in construction and engineering, refused to take part in the interviews. Some of them said it was due to the rules they had to follow when there were elections. One of the most influential pro-establishment parties has made the filling of the seats as soon as possible as one of the main arguments.
Shuttle buses will be provided by the government to make sure the people who had their houses burned down will make it to the voting place, and there will be an increased police presence on the day of the election in order to prevent any trouble due to security concerns and the general mood of the day. The government has also warned that any attempts to stop the process will be severely dealt with.
Why the voter turnout is such that they must be watched on election day
The turnout of voters will be the thermometer of the government’s public image. Several voters around or less than the number of votes in 2021 would mean that the disappointment with the government is increasing, especially in the areas where they were closest to the tragedy. A larger number of voters than in the previous election would make the government more secure and give them a higher level of legitimacy.
The stakes are high politically. Politicians will raise immediate questions: how to make building safety standards more rigid, how to control renovation materials, how to take responsibility from professionals, and how to make the inspections trustworthy again. Strictly looking for corruption, maintenance contracts, and misuse of funds on a massive scale for refurbishment will undergo a close inspection.
There will be demands for easy-to-understand investigations, faster updating of the code, and better defined roles and responsibilities for building developers, constructors, and managers. Those who have not lost their lives in the disaster will want to receive complete help, whether it is housing, financial compensation, psychological help, or rebuilding the community.
The difficult in governance and compassion
The government’s responsibility is to maintain institutions in their usual state and b) ensure that the victims receive justice. The arrests will assess this commitment not only through the inquiries of the committees, but obvious changes in scaffolds, work areas, and emergency planning all over the town will also be major factors.
Memorials speak for themselves. Origami cranes were hanging by the volunteers with messages of remembrance left near Wang Fuk Court. Residents refer to the area as a connection to the lost. There is a demand for truth, responsibility, and changes in the system that would prevent such a disaster from happening ever again.
The situation of Hong Kong’s forthcoming parliamentary election is very similar. The city is expecting to have not only sympathetic but also efficient leadership. The result of the vote on Sunday that will sap the confidence or widen the gap between the rulers and the ruled will depend on the post-election period.
