Letters | Hongkongers still have good reasons to vote, despite the compromises

Post readers discuss the purpose of voting in Hong Kong elections, the reasons behind the BJP’s success in India, and how local libraries can engage the elderly

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Voters check candidate information outside a polling station for the district council election in Wong Tai Sin on December 10. Photo: Dickson Lee

Published: 11:30am, 15 Dec 2023

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I fulfilled my civic duty by voting in the district council election on Sunday. Talk of voter apathy has led me to reflect on the purpose of voting (“Low turnout at Hong Kong district council election: will Beijing be happy with result or will voter apathy be a problem in the future?”, December 11).

I believe voting allows us to determine who is best suited to manage the allocation of taxpayers’ money. Of course, elections are often fought based on political ideologies, religious and racial divisions, as well as emerging movements such as those advocating for the environment and LGBTQ rights. However, ultimately, we are granting legitimacy to people who will make decisions about how our hard-earned money is spent.

While there might still be a few individuals who enter politics with the genuine intention of serving the people, even they cannot hope for electoral success having only grass-roots support. They still need to align themselves with a political party or power base.

Hong Kong has experienced troubled times, including social unrest, riots and the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. We have finally achieved a sense of peace after several years of discord. However, it will take at least a generation for the wounds to fully heal.

While India is my birthplace, Hong Kong is the place that adopted me and enabled me to realise my full potential. I am a staunch supporter of democracy in its true sense. However, excessive freedom can sometimes lead to anarchy.