Joshua Wong Says Poll Officer 'cooking Up Charges'

Former Demosisto leader Joshua Wong – who is hoping to run in Kowloon East during the September 6 Legco election – has accused the returning officer of trying to "cook up charges on national security" and block his candidacy.

Returning officer Alice Choi asked Wong to clarify some of his political views, a step some critics fear is a precursor to banning candidacies.

In a lengthy response that was also posted onto his social media page on Monday, Wong accused the returning officer of selectively citing his comments and statements, and "clearly wrongly interpreting" his personal ideologies.

He said vetting a hopeful's political stance to decide his or her candidacy is against the principles of a fair and democratic election.

The former student leader said he no longer wants to demand American sanctions on Hong Kong, and rejected a suggestion by Choi that he wanted to become a lawmaker to keep getting help from external forces to "pressure China and/or Hong Kong".

Other candidates hoping to run in the Kowloon East constituency include the Federation of Trade Unions' Bill Tang, the DAB's Joe Lai, People Power's Tam Tak-chi, and district councillors Li Ka-tat and Paul Tse.

Meanwhile, at least three other pro-democracy figures who intend to stand in the Legco elections said they also have been asked by election officials to clarify their political views.

Election officials sent letters to the Civic Party's Jeremy Tam and Gordon Lam, as well as Jimmy Sham of the League of Social Democrats, asking whether they plan to continue to ask the US or other countries for sanctions on Hong Kong, and about their pledges to try to veto the government's budget unless the five major demands of the anti-government protests are fulfilled by March next year.