Pro-Beijing camp leaders admit Hong Kong government and bloc need to raise their game with excuses wearing thin after electoral shake-up

The pro-establishment camp and the administration in Hong Kong need to raise their game in the wake of the drastic shake-up of the city’s electoral system as now they have far fewer excuses not to perform, politicians from the bloc have conceded.

They also had to do more to reach out to the alienated supporters of the opposition who felt divisions had only deepened, members of the camp who spoke candidly to the Post said on Wednesday.

A second-generation tycoon, also from the camp and who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the pressure on the government and the bloc to perform now was greater than in the past after “all the political cleansing”.

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China’s top legislative body passes sweeping Hong Kong electoral reforms

China’s top legislative body passes sweeping Hong Kong electoral reforms

A pro-establishment politician agreed, saying both the camp and the administration faced greater pressure to deliver after the shake-up.

“The zero-risk model adopted by the central government has unavoidably disappointed supporters of the pan-democrats,” the politician said. “After eliminating the risk of unpatriotic people entering the establishment, there is an urgent need to nurture more competent people to serve in the administration, the legislature and the Election Committee.

“The government needs to do more to engage with members of the public. Meanwhile, pro-establishment parties must raise their game by delivering high-quality policy studies, recommendations.”

Daryl Ng Win-kong, deputy chairman of property developer Sino Land, told the Post the pro-establishment camp should work even harder following the improvement in the city’s political environment.