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11
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District, K.K. Fung in Sham Shui Po, LEE Wing-tat in Kwai Tsing and MAN Sai-cheong in Eastern District.
According to the votes cast in the Urban Council election
in 1989, those who obtained the largest number of votes were the democrats. It shows that they were well-organized while their opponents were not quite mobilized, and their organizing power was weak. Because of this lop-sided situation, a number of people were put off by the
strength of the democrats and did not want to stand for the election. As a result, the number of candidates dwindled significantly (only 57 ·
candidates with seven elected uncontested). In some constituencies, the candidates were all democrats. As they were on the same side, competition
was not keen at all, and the voting rate likewise decreased.
The 17.6% turn out rate is considered a high rate for the
municipal Councils election. It indicates that the democrats have strong mobilizing power in that they were able to control at least 100,000 votes while the other sectors were not yet mobilized.
The Municipal Councils are in the middle of the 3-tier
structure. Over twenty years ago the Government introduced direct
election for the Urban Council. But as the Urbco has in effect very
little power, the general public do not take much interest in the election. Besides, the Urbco does not have central discretionary power
as the Legco does; nor does it have ready access to the grass-roct as the District Boards which have some discretionary power at the district level. Those who wish to take part in politics will lose interest in the status of an Urban Councillor after they have become well-known in
the community.
Most voters think that municipal administration is primarily a responsibility of the Hong Kong Government and is in good operation. Members of the public have to work hard for a living and they can spare no time to pay attention to such matters. Besides, municipal administration requires special expertise and is not something which the grassroot leaders can easily understand. The lack of enthusiasm in the Municipal Councils election is therefore understandable. Basically those who cast their