The Hong Kong government has all but ruled out holding a by-election to fill the legislative seat left vacant by the lawmaker William Wong Kam-fai, the first in the country to resign from the Legislative Council over a scandal in more than two decades, citing a tight timeline and questions over whether the exercise would be worth the cost.
Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Janice Tse Siu-wa, was quoted as saying in a statement published Saturday that a by-election for Wong’s seat is highly unlikely, pointing to the fact that the current Election Committee’s term expires on October 21, leaving too narrow a window, in the government’s view, to justify organising a fresh vote.
“When we consider holding a by-election, we have to look at the timing and consider the public’s perception of cost-effectiveness,” Tse said, appearing on a radio program. “The current Election Committee’s term ends on October 21. Should we ask them to organise a Legco by-election just when their term is about to expire… for the time being, the Electoral Affairs Commission does not think a by-election needs to be considered,” the Hong Kong official added.
What’s the Scandal Behind The Seat Vacancy?
Lawmaker Wong, 66, resigned from all his positions in the Legislative Council on July 3, becoming the first lawmaker to step down over a scandal in more than 26 years. He was one of the 40 legislators in the Hong Kong parliament who were elected by the 1,500-strong Election Committee,
His departure came just hours after the Chinese University of Hong Kong, where he served as associate dean of the engineering faculty, suspended him from his administrative duties.
Wong had been arrested on suspicion of four offences: drink-driving, careless driving, failing to stop after a traffic accident and failing to report the accident, after his vehicle allegedly struck two parked cars near a staff residence on the CUHK campus on the night of June 29.
Hong Kong Police said Wong initially left the scene before later returning; he was granted bail and required to report back to authorities in late July. In his resignation statement, Wong said he was “deeply sorry” for the distress caused to both the community and the legislature, adding, “to avoid impacting the operation of the Legislative Council, after careful consideration, I have decided to resign from all my positions in the Legislative Council with immediate effect.” He said he hoped the public would understand he could not comment further while the matter remained under police investigation.
Hong Kong Legislative Council President Starry Lee confirmed the council’s secretariat had received Wong’s written notice and said his resignation took effect that Friday, describing it as an example of accountability and urging all lawmakers to uphold stricter standards of conduct going forward.
The case has since prompted broader scrutiny within Legco, with reports indicating Wong had also failed to notify the council of his arrest in a timely manner, as required under its code of conduct, a lapse that has fed calls to tighten disclosure rules for sitting members.
Why A By-Election Is Being Shelved
Wong was the lawmaker who was elected by the Election Committee, the body responsible for choosing a significant share of Legco’s seats under Hong Kong’s overhauled electoral system. Because that committee’s own term is due to expire in October, government officials argue there is little practical value in mobilising the same body to run a standalone by-election only weeks before its mandate lapses. Tse’s remarks Saturday effectively confirmed what officials had signalled informally in the weeks following Wong’s resignation: that his seat is likely to remain vacant rather than be filled through a special vote before the committee itself is reconstituted.
A Wider Public Consultation Underway
Tse’s comments came alongside an update on a separate, unrelated matter, the government’s ongoing consultation on the city’s first five-year plan, which she said had drawn 2,500 public submissions, with nearly half of them focused on livelihood issues. The pairing of the two updates reflects the broader governing agenda Tse’s bureau is currently managing, even as the unresolved question of Wong’s vacant seat leaves one part of the Legislative Council without direct representation heading into the final months of the current Election Committee’s term.
