As members of Hong Kong’s eight-term Legislative Council are sworn in, a predominantly younger-than-usual cohort is expected to infuse the special administrative region’s executive-led system with fresh perspectives, a new-age way of doing things, and an ability to balance ingrained notions of lawmaking with modern imperatives that serve the people best.

The start of the year is an enthusiastic time. Hope is the favorite currency and everyone looks forward to new beginnings. This is also a solemn occasion to look back and take realistic stock of things which offer a chance to self-reflect and for the motivated, to assess the lessons learnt and do things differently in the coming days and months. But it is also the time of the year that lends itself to the temptations of grandstanding or playing to the gallery with so much to look forward to.

Indisputably, politics is identified with a tendency to grandstand. Notably, often public service too seems to invoke a perceived need to play to the gallery. Lawmaking should ideally be immune to either and be contingent upon taking a wide, informed view of things that go beyond sensational headlines. It should not take either a terrible tragedy or well-publicized high points to set agenda.

Public confidence is inspired by unstinting evidence of public service and a will to serve that does not fluctuate with the ebb and flow of headlines. In this, the counsel of veterans may come handy, who remember a time when it was possible to make an impression by building real, personal connection with their constituents without letting optics of the contemporary variety take over.

The potential of novice legislators needs to translate into legislative efficacy and that can be done mostly in the old-fashioned way of preparation, collaboration and consolidation. That is, by preparing grounds up so that their constituents feel that their interests have been championed and protected at LegCo; collaborating with fellow legislators and the executive side respectfully and professionally without personal considerations or the need to form cliques coming into play; and consolidating their grassroots experience, public relations and political savvy in a manner that serves the people best.    

While there is a need to weigh legislative and executive imperatives against current exigencies, laid-out responsibilities and prescribed modalities, the outcome should always respect the common good. The checks and balances system is reinforced in the LegCo’s question-and-answer sessions, and the government makes the transcripts widely available in the public domain. Incisive, informed questions from legislators are valued by the public that also scrutinizes answers from the government. Similarly, a lack of engagement in legislative affairs is not missed. For example, it did make news when, as widely reported, during the LegCo Q&A session on the Policy Address on Sept 18, 2025, only 13 lawmakers posed questions within the stipulated 90 minutes. Some lawmakers reportedly were occupied with their phones during the Q&A session.

In public service, a lack of engagement is often construed as a lack of respect for the people just as inappropriate grandstanding or a tendency to play to the gallery can be seen as motivated.  

In his new year speech posted on social media on Dec 31, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu listed his priorities for 2026 as improving people’s livelihood and wellbeing along with expediting the construction of public housing, as well as advancing growth in the information and technology sector in line with the 15th National Five-Year Plan -- a development blueprint spanning 2026 to 2030.

The chief executive put the people first. The people of Hong Kong expect the eight-term LegCo to do the same.

The author is an award-winning English-language fiction writer and current-affairs commentator.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.