Don't count on our help for election, unionist warns Leung

TheHong Kong Federation of Trade Unions has 59 elected members on the Election Committee to choose the next chief executive. Wong Kwok- kin, vice chairman of the federation's political affairs group, said they will not unconditionally help Leung to gather the 150 nominations he needs to enter March's election.

It is estimated that Leung only secured slightly more than 50 nominations, including himself, in Sunday's Election Committee poll, far less than the pan- democrats' 205, and Henry Tang Ying- yen's 300 to 400.

Leung's ideology is more in line with grassroots aspirations than Tang's, Wong acknowledged. But he said Leung needs to clarify some remarks that have caused disquiet with the federation.

"For example, Leung earlier said regulating working hours may not be in the interests of society. I want him to clarify this first," Wong said. "We would like to see a contested chief executive election, but we won't set up an environment to force someone into the racecourse. We want nature to take its own course."

Leung also cannot expect to gain sympathy from pan-democrats.