Kowloon District Councillors Attend Oath Ceremony

More than 50 Kowloon district councillors attended an oath-taking ceremony on Friday morning to swear their allegiance to the SAR.

Sham Shui Po district councillor Lee Man-ho had said on social media that he would not take the oath to the SAR government, and he did not turn up at the ceremony held at the North Point Community Hall.

The government had disqualified seven out of 24 Hong Kong Island district councillors who attended an oath-taking ceremony earlier this month, after ruling that their oaths were invalid.

A Democratic Party councillor in Sham Shui Po, Ramon Yuen, said while he could not predict whether he would also be disqualified, he felt duty-bound to try to keep doing his job.

“Because it is the commitment to Hong Kong people who have voted for me and given confidence and trust in me. So this is the way to repay them, to repay their trust and to serve them in the community,” he said.

Former lawmaker and district councillor James To from the Democratic Party did not answer any reporters’ questions after attending the event.

Barrister and councillor Lawrence Lau, one of 47 people facing subversion charges over their involvement in Legco primary elections last year, also took his oath on Friday morning.

He said he was worried about being disqualified.

“Well that kind of sentiment I could not avoid,” he said, but added that he must do what is required.

“It’s part of my job, it’s my official duty,” Lau said.

DAB chairwoman and district councillor Starry Lee said the oath-taking ceremony went smoothly.

She said the government should not just consider councillors’ behaviour at the ceremony to determine whether their oaths were valid, but also their past actions.