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To ignite the young's interests in politics

The Young Reporter (2009, January), 41(04), pp. 4.
Author: Irene Huang Yixia. Editor: Chloe So Kit-ying.
Permanent URL - https://sys01.lib.hkbu.edu.hk/bujspa/purl.php?&did=bujspa0015928

Irene Huang Yixia

The League of Social Democrats (LSD) focuses on fostering its development, in a bid to pave the road for the Legco elections in the future.

A two-day orientation camp, which targeted at young people, was held by LSD on November 15, in which 140 new LSD members gathered at Sai Kung Pak Tam Chung Holiday Camp.

“It is the first time for us to hold this kind of orientation camp specifically aiming at young members,” said Ms Lee Wai-yee, the Vice Chairman of LSD and the organiser of the camp.

“We would like to take this opportunity to let the new members familiarise themselves with our party and each other,” said Lee.

“We are delighted to see quite a lot youngsters here. It shows that they have interest in politics and we hope to see some of them join the crew in the next Legco election,” she said.

According to Mr Kenneth Cheung Kam-hung, the Executive Committee Member of LSD, the membership application increased before and after the Legco Election.

“The total number of members increased approximately from 400 to 600. It is quite a large expansion for a newly established party like us,” Mr Cheung said.

Mr Martin Lui, a final year student majoring in Government and International Studies at Hong Kong Baptist University, was one of the participants in the camp, which in total had about 30 student participants.

“I’m here to see if I can learn something. I want to know more about LSD and its opinions about the current issues,” said Lui, who had submitted the membership application form to the party just before he went to the camp site.

Lui said that he began to notice LSD after the Legco Election as he thought it is “the only party at present which dares to speak out and push the government to take actions” .

“But joining the party doesn’t mean that I share completely the same ideas as the others do. What I care about is what I can do for our society and how to do so,” said Lui.

The camp included two seminars, “Social Democracy” given by Professor Ma Ngok from the Department of Government and Public Administration at Chinese University of Hong Kong and “Criticism of Neoliberalism” given by Professor Chen Yun- hung from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, as well as other activities like role play and barbecue. “This camp is the beginning of our upcoming trainings,” said Mr Raymond Wong Yuk-man, the Chairman of LSD, who was in the camp with his “future colleagues” .

“We are preparing several workshops for next year, probably in March. The new members will be divided into different groups according to the districts they belong to.”

“The purpose is to train young people to take part in politics and be interested in public affairs,” he continued.

Asked if the party is using the impact of global economic turmoil to attract the attention of people and expand the party, Wong thought that it might be an opportunity but the party is not taking it intentionally.

“People will come closer naturally if they understand what we are asking for is exactly what they need,” he said.

The LSD, after securing three seats in the new-term Legislative Council, took actions to carry out its principle as a “clear-cut stand opposition to defend the interests of the grassroots”, including the radical one, banana-throwing protest, which stirred controversies and widespread social discussions.

According to a telephone survey conducted by Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress in October, 81 per cent out of 789 interviewees did not approve of the throwing of banana, worrying that it would have adverse effects on Legco, while 72 per cent agreed Legco should take steps to prevent similar incident from happening in the future.

Edited by Chloe So Kit-ying

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