John Lee, chief executive of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Sunday called on all eligible voters to vote for driving institutional reforms and helping fire victims as the election of the eighth-term Legislative Council (LegCo) kicked off earlier on the day.
The HKSAR started its 8th Legislative Council election at 07:30 on Sunday with all 612 polling stations across the region opened to over 4.13 million eligible voters.
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HK chief executive calls for driving reform, helping fire victims in Legislative Council election
HK chief executive calls for driving reform, helping fire victims in Legislative Council election
HK chief executive calls for driving reform, helping fire victims in Legislative Council election
HK chief executive calls for driving reform, helping fire victims in Legislative Council election
Lee cast his ballot around 8:30 at Raimondi College on Robinson Road.
Speaking to the media, Lee said the government has taken a series of measures to encourage more eligible voters to cast their ballots.
"To help voters vote conveniently, the government has implemented multiple measures, including extending polling hours. Voting began one hour earlier in the morning, with normal polling stations opening at 7:30. It will also end one hour later in the evening, concluding at 23:30. With two more hours, voters can have sufficient time to cast their ballots and they have a total of 16 hours to vote," said Lee.
Lee called for institutional reforms to make Hong Kong safer and to help victims as the region recovers from a disastrous blaze that has taken over 150 lives at the housing complex Wang Fuk Court.
"The fire at Tai Po's Wang Fuk Court brought immense grief to all of us and precisely because of this, there is much work to be done. This includes supporting the affected residents, handling the aftermath, and advancing reconstruction efforts. We will definitely conduct full investigation, hold those responsible accountable, and promote institutional reforms to make our society safer and the life of our residents more secure. As I have mentioned earlier, in the first session of the new term of LegCo, the government will present its first motion to discuss how we will support the affected residents, manage the post-disaster recovery and reconstruction, and promote institutional reforms. We hope to hold discussions with the LegCo members to ensure the affected residents will be well cared for, to find out the truth as soon as possible, and to complete recovery and reconstruction as soon as possible," he said.
Lee noted that each ballot represents a push for reform and a collective effort to move forward together.
"The LegCo has a wide range of powers and we will work with the LegCo in areas like approving funding and enacting new laws. By working together, we will plug the loopholes in the existing system, make our city safer and the life of our residents more secure. So, this time, we call on all voters to come out and cast their ballots, because each vote represents the effort to promote reform, to protect the affected residents, to unite our strength, and to march forward," said Lee.
The eighth-term LegCo of the HKSAR will commence its four-year term on Jan 1, 2026.
Currently, investigation is underway after the search was completed at the Wang Fuk Court.
The blaze had claimed 159 lives by 14:00 on Wednesday, with 31 people still missing, the Hong Kong Police Force said at a press briefing earlier Wednesday.
HK chief executive calls for driving reform, helping fire victims in Legislative Council election
HK chief executive calls for driving reform, helping fire victims in Legislative Council election
HK chief executive calls for driving reform, helping fire victims in Legislative Council election
HK chief executive calls for driving reform, helping fire victims in Legislative Council election
