'They Can Do Whatever They Want To Us'

A district councillor and government critic said he would take things in his stride over fears that he and others could also be disqualified after four opposition lawmakers were ousted on Wednesday, adding that officials can do whatever they want to people.

When asked whether district councillors would be next in line to be disqualified in a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, Chief Executive Carrie Lam said decisions will be made in due course. She pointed out that oath-taking – as regulated in the Basic Law – covers lawmakers, principle officials and judges.

That has raised concerns about opposition district councillors, who have been critical of the government since they won their seats in last year's district council election, could be kicked out as well.

Tsuen Wan district councillor Lester Shum, who was also among the hopefuls banned from running in the eventually cancelled 2020 Legco elections, said he would simply focus on the job in hand.

"There's nothing to worry about... basically, the [Hong Kong] and Beijing governments can do whatever they want towards the opposition camp," Shum said.

He said Beijing can come up with different ways to remove them from office.

"We should be prepared that anything could happen in Hong Kong, especially in 2020," Shum said.

Shum, a former student leader, also said nobody could imagine back in 2016 that an invalid oath would eventually lead to the disqualification of Youngspiration members Yau Wai-ching and Sixtus Leung. The pair were ousted by the local courts after Beijing interpreted the Basic Law article on oath-taking.