Hong Kong residents are undoubtedly feeling the intensity of the promotion campaign for the upcoming Legislative Council (LegCo) election slated for Dec 7, which has attracted saturation coverage from the media.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government has launched massive promotional activities to encourage all eligible residents to cast their votes, including making unprecedented special arrangements to facilitate voting for those working on election day, as well as older people and persons with disabilities.

While the government has consistently promoted past elections, the current campaign seems extraordinary, which may lead one to wonder why. There are at least four compelling reasons.

First, reliable intelligence indicates that anti-China forces, both in Hong Kong and overseas, are attempting to disrupt and sabotage the election. A smear campaign is already underway on social media, calling for a boycott of the poll by casting blank votes and vandalizing election-related materials. Their goal is to undermine the implementation of the “one country, two systems” policy.

These forces operate under the wishful assumption that a low voter turnout, coupled with a high number of blank votes, would provide ammunition for anti-China forces to criticize both the central and HKSAR governments, thereby justifying further sanctions on Hong Kong people and businesses. Should this happen, it is the people of Hong Kong who would suffer the most. Therefore, it is in our collective interest to validate the election by voting on Dec 7.

Hence, it is reassuring to know that the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR has publicly condemned such disruptive attempts. Furthermore, the Hong Kong Independent Commission Against Corruption, the watchdog guarding against corruption and election bribery, is taking rigorous enforcement action to crack down on any illegal actions that undermine the election. To date, several people have been arrested for reposting social media content that incited people to cast invalid ballots or boycott the poll, on suspicion of violating the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance.

Second, Hong Kong is now at a critical juncture in its development. With the imminent commencement of the nation’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), the need for deeper integration with the Chinese mainland, the accelerated growth of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area — particularly in technological research and innovation — and the development of the Northern Metropolis, Hong Kong requires diverse expertise to reach new heights. This election empowers voters to choose representatives who can help advance these endeavors.

With the imminent commencement of the nation’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), the need for deeper integration with the Chinese mainland, the accelerated growth of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area — particularly in technological research and innovation — and the development of the Northern Metropolis, Hong Kong requires diverse expertise to reach new heights

Third, the election will help identify gifted individuals to form a talent pool for future bureau secretaries. Since reunification and the introduction of the Principal Officials Accountability System by inaugural chief executive Tung Chee-hwa, every chief executive has faced difficulties in selecting suitable candidates for top appointments. This has often resulted in the rehiring of retiring senior civil servants. While their intimate knowledge of the bureaucracy and efficient control of former subordinates is beneficial, the downside is that such an approach leads to stagnation, creating a “business as usual” culture, which lacks dynamism and new approaches to problem-solving.

Experience shows that the best bureau secretaries are often recruited from the private sector after they have proved themselves as members of the LegCo. These individuals bring fresh ideas and demonstrate political acumen. A prime example is Paul Chan Mo-po. A successful accountant and former president of the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants, he served as a legislative councilor for the accountancy functional constituency. He was then appointed secretary for development in 2012 by the then-chief executive Leung Chun-ying and, after a successful tenure, became financial secretary in 2017, a position he has held with distinction. Throughout his tenure, he has introduced numerous innovative ideas, earning widespread praise.

When I consider whom to vote for in the coming election, I will be asking all candidates the same question: “If you were to apply for the post of a bureau secretary, which role would you choose, and what would be your key contributions?” Their answer gives me a clue as to their depth of knowledge on how genuinely to improve Hong Kong through targeted government action.

In the Dec 7 LegCo election, 161 hopefuls — many of them relatively youthful — are contesting 90 seats. I sincerely hope that we will find among them a few more individuals with the potential of a Paul Chan.

Additionally, all public servants, including civil servants and those working in public bodies such as the Hospital Authority, have a sacred duty to vote. This is the practice in Singapore, whose founding father, the late Lee Kuan Yew, believed that if people want the right to vote, they also have a civic duty to exercise it. While Hong Kong may not be ready to make voting mandatory for all qualified voters, public servants should take the lead in meeting this fundamental obligation.

The author is an honorary fellow of HKU Space and Hong Kong Metropolitan University, an adviser to the Our Hong Kong Foundation, a council member of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, and an international anti-corruption consultant.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.