Hong Kong ramps up Legco election drive with outdoor gala, developer support

Hong Kong is ramping up momentum for the coming Legislative Council election, with the government set to host a gala show ahead of polling day and a major developer pledging to promote voting across its residential estates and shopping centres.

The government-run election forums also entered their third day for the Kowloon East and Kowloon West constituencies on Thursday, with a senior official arguing there should not be a “single approach” to enhancing voter engagement and awareness of candidates, after several broadcasters called off their debates to make way for those organised by authorities.

The government announced that it would organise the “Let’s Vote, Together We Create the Future” gala on December 6, a day before the poll, in a bid to “further increase public awareness for the election, build momentum and call for votes”.

Free tickets would be distributed to residents for the outdoor variety show, to be held at Wonderland in the West Kowloon Cultural District and aired by seven local broadcasters, it said.

The government also created a theme song for the election, adapted from Aaron Kwok Fu-shing’s popular hit “Strong”. A music video for the tune, featuring nearly 70 singers and artists, including veteran stars Alan Tam Wing-lun and Cally Kwong Mei-wan, was played at a press event for the gala show.

Authorities are in an all-out push to boost participation in the December 7 poll after the 2021 election – the first held under Beijing’s “patriots-only” overhaul – drew a record low turnout of 30.2 per cent.