Lam says radicals 'paralysing' the city are selfish

HONG KONG - Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor on Tuesday said protesters who were trying to "paralyse" the city were extremely selfish and hoped all universities and schools would urge students not to participate in violence.

Speaking ahead of Tuesday's customary press briefing before the Executive Council meets, Lam condemned the radicals' extremely selfish act of paralyzing traffic.

Speaking to reporters minutes later at the press briefing, the CE conveyed her respect for Hong Kong people who kept going to work and school despite the adverse traffic situation, saying the radicals' intention was to force a city-wide shutdown.

She also said the government will do all it can to ensure a fair District Council election. Specific measures will be announced later, Lam said.

Lam said it was necesary to safeguard the suffrage rights of more than 4 million Hong Kong voters and the integrity of the SAR's political institutions.

Previously, elections were usually held in an orderly manner as people cherished the rights of themselves and others, Lam said, noting that this year's situation was exceptional.

Amid the protracted social unrest, the safety of some candidates, especially those from the pro-establishment camp, has been severely threatened, Lam said.

Lam said in an effort to ensure a fair election, her government would consult the Crisis Management Committee and the Electoral Affairs Commission on specific election arrangements.

Last Wednesday, lawmaker and district election candidate Junius Ho Kwan-yiu was stabbed when he was campaigning in Tuen Mun.

On the same day, the chairperson of Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, the city's largest political party, said that all of the party's 181 candidates, together with their supporters and helpers, had faced harassment of various degrees in the course of running election campaigns.