Politics

Two designated polling stations have been set up for Hong Kong’s ethnic minority population to cast their ballots for the Legislative Council election on Sunday. The designated polling stations are located at Tang Shiu Kin Victoria Government Secondary School and Kowloon Park Sports Centre, to allow ethnic minority voters who participate in religious events at the Wan Chai Khalsa Diwan Sikh Temple and Kowloon Masjid respectively to cast their ballots, according to the authorities. These designated polling stations are part of the government’s pilot arrangements to cater to voters with special needs. “Sometimes it was difficult for us to wait in a queue, but now it is perfect,” said Aida Zubaida, 33, a housewife from India who has lived in Hong Kong for more than 10 years. “There are separate counters, so we can go easily and orderly.” According to the 2021 Population Census, about 8.4% of Hong Kong’s population belong to an ethnic minority group. Indonesians top the list, followed by Filipinos, White people and Indians. Zubaida said she hopes the next Legislative Council can address the social inequality encountered by the ethnic minority population today, especially in terms of financial support. “There shouldn’t be partiality between Chinese and ethnic minorities, in jobs, employment and other areas," Zubaida said. “We are suffering a lot here, so that’s why we are expecting more separate places for us.” “If we have more job opportunities, we can easily have financial support. But in Hong Kong, the Chinese language is very important here. Even though we are trying to learn the language, it has been very difficult for us.” According to a report published by the Equal Opportunities Commission, Hong Kong’s equality watchdog, it is common for ethnic minorities to face discrimination in accessing goods and services. In terms of employment, ethnic minority …

  Polling is underway on Sunday to elect the next term of the Legislative Council, the second “patriot-only” election since Beijing’s electoral overhaul in 2021. As of 5:30 pm, turnout for geographical constituencies stands at 23.76%, with over 981,000 voters casting their ballots. In the previous LegCo election in 2021, turnout at the same time was 18.5%. The polling period this year was extended for one hour, running from 7:30 am to 11:30 pm. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu cast his vote at Raimondi College polling station at 8:30 am. “The Legislative Council has a lot of powers, for example, in approving spending or making new laws,” Lee said during a media session at the polling station. “We will work together to fill loopholes in our existing system, reinforce our city’s safety, and give residents a greater sense of security,” Lee said.  “All voters must therefore come out to vote today, because your ballot represents reform, safeguarding victims of the [Tai Po] fire, and our unity in marching forward,” he added. Tai Po’s Wang Fuk Court suffered a level-five fire on Nov. 26, which claimed more than 150 lives. Despite the casualties, authorities kept the election as scheduled, citing the need to avoid a vacuum period in the legislature. Residents who showed up to cast a ballot said they wanted to support Hong Kong’s development, and hoped the next LegCo could focus more on social affairs. “As a Hongkonger, it is our responsibility to support Hong Kong’s development,” said Jack Zhong, 36, an IT engineer who cast a ballot in the Kowloon West geographical constituency. Zhong said he hopes the next Legislative Council would focus on economic development to improve residents’ quality of life.  “As an IT engineer, I would like to see more supportive measures in the information technology …