Hong Kong resumes election forums, fatal fire tops concerns

The government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on Wednesday resumed election forums under a somber tone following last week's fire in Tai Po that claimed the lives of at least 159 people.

The move was supported by local policy observers, who said it would assist relief efforts and help pinpoint and address the city's systemic safety loopholes.

The forums, now titled "Love and Cohesion," restarted a day after Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced that Sunday's Legislative Council polls would go ahead as planned, declaring the incoming lawmakers as essential "partners" in the government's post-fire relief and reconstruction efforts.

The first forum to reopen on Wednesday morning featured candidates from the functional constituency for deputies to the National People's Congress, members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and related national organizations. Subsequent sessions heard from contenders representing the insurance, catering, and education sectors. The remaining four functional constituency forums are scheduled for Thursday. All four forums on Wednesday featured only two candidates each.

The agenda for the forums was modified in response to the deadly fire, with cheerleading and sloganeering removed, while candidate-led discussions on immediate post-fire relief efforts and the city's long-term safety reform were added.

During the morning forum, incumbent Brave Chan Yung vowed to pursue revisions to Hong Kong's building and fire safety laws to avert repeat tragedies. Rival candidate Rex Lai Tat-shing highlighted the key role of national organizations in mobilizing relief efforts, particularly in coordinating responses from the youth and retired professionals.

At the insurance sector forum, candidate Chan Pui-leung said the industry is giving fire-related cases "special consideration" to expedite claims and proactively reach insured victims. Rival candidate Simon Lam stressed the industry's stabilizing function, arguing that urgent payouts are crucial for maintaining social and economic stability after a disaster.

At the catering forum, candidate Kong Chi-hang emphasized that in addition to serving as food providers, his industry offers crucial "social and emotional relief" in times of crisis. Fellow candidate Leung Chun echoed the focus on psychological well-being, stressing that, alongside material aid, attention must be paid to the affected community's psychological trauma in the aftermath of the fire.

The decision to hold the polls as scheduled on Sunday, said Brian Li Man-bun, vice-chairman of the Social and Legal Affairs Committee of the CPPCC National Committee, demonstrates the SAR government's "steadfast commitment to upholding constitutional order".

Li noted that this will allow newly elected lawmakers to promptly aid the city's recovery from the Nov 26 Wang Fuk Court fire, push for a thorough probe into its causes, advance post-fire rebuilding efforts, and enable related policy reforms.

Tam Yiu-chung, vice-president of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, supported the forums' resumption. "Proceeding with the LegCo poll and related activities will not impede recovery efforts," he said, noting that tasks such as approving relief funding and scrutinizing safety failures require a functioning legislature.

"A legislative vacuum would be detrimental," he added. The current council's term expires after Dec 31.