Hong Kong pro-democracy candidates, stung by scandal, made limited gains against the Beijing camp in legislative polls as voters wary of alienating their communist rulers chose stability, results showed yesterday.

The election on Sunday for the 60-seat Legislative Council had been portrayed by democrats as a virtual referendum on gaining the right to elect all the city’s leaders. But the whiff of scandal, Beijing’s carrot-and-stick policies and a complicated voting system favoured pro-Beijing politicians.

“I am disappointed. It shows how unacceptable the electoral system is,” said Martin Lee, ex-chairman of the Democratic Party, referring to the Byzantine proportional representation system.

In a blow for pro-democracy forces, their candidates won 18 directly elected seats, just one more than in the last election and well below expectations, despite a record 55.6 percent voter turnout, final results showed.

Wary of vexing Beijing and keen to safeguard economic prosperity that depends on the mainland, voters ensured a better-than-expected showing for the pro-Beijing camp. It took 12 of the 30 directly elected seats, up from just seven in 2000.

Some members of the Democratic Party have said China was using a smear campaign to reduce its chances.

However, results for the other 30 seats, elected by small professional groups, such as lawyers and doctors, and traditionally dominated by the pro-Beijing forces brought the camps’ totals to almost the same level as in 2000.

The Beijing camp took 34, unchanged, the democrats gained three to 25 and independents won one, down from four.

“The population has reconsidered its aspirations for the future of Hong Kong,” said Jasper Tsang Yok-hing, former chairman of the pro-Beijing Democratic Alliance for Betterment of Hong Kong (DAB). “They want stability, harmony and we’re the only one who bears this banner.”

In the most extensive exercise in democracy in China, democrats had hoped to ride a groundswell of support after hundreds of thousands marched on July 1 against Beijing’s April decision not to allow universal suffrage for several years.

But China’s charm offensive and policy of offering economic incentives constituted a more important factor for many of the 7 million people in the Asian financial hub whose economy is growing only slowly, analysts said.

“I think the gains of the pro-Beijing camp in the direct elections are to some extent due to Beijing’s charm offensive in Hong Kong,” said political analyst Andy Ho.

Beijing fears any upset of that arrangement would dilute its control over the city and allow pro-democracy opponents to paralyse legislation, political analysts say.

The failure of the democrats to make large gains would be good news for unpopular Beijing-chosen Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa, ensuring he can pass legislation.

<B>Smear campaign<</B>

However, a win by the maverick Marxist “Long Hair” Leung Kwok-hung, who for years has taken every opportunity to heckle Tung outside the chamber, could enliven proceedings.

“I’ll demonstrate my electorate’s dissatisfaction towards this minority-chosen government by protesting in the council in my special way,” Leung said, adding he was stunned to get a seat.

Political commentator Ivan Choy said the results were not surprising given a system that fragments the vote and saw little room for conciliation with Beijing’s communist rulers.

“The entry of radical democrats like Long Hair into the legislature will slow any communication between Beijing and local democrats,” Choy said.

Support for the democrats began to sag after they were tarnished by a sex scandal in which Democratic Party member Ho Wai-to was arrested in south China last month and detained for six months for hiring a prostitute. Ho did not win a seat.

Some members of the Democratic Party have said China was using a smear campaign to reduce its chances.

“The scandals hurt us a lot,” said Fred Li, who won in Ho’s constituency.

Key leaders won, including democrat Lee who had been expected to lose for the first time in 18 years. Another was James Tien, whose pro-government Liberal Party won the first two directly elected seats in its history.

Tien, who has leadership ambitions, could hold the balance of power in the chamber. “I’m extremely excited,” he said.

The polls were marred when some polling stations ran out of ballot boxes and by a long delay in announcing the result. That prompted demands from democrats for a partial recount.

<B>Tan Ee Lyn</B>