Civil Force (Chinese: 公民力量) is a community alliance in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. It was established in 1993 by a former member of United Democrats of Hong Kong, Lau Kong-wah and 8 other Sha Tin District Board members. The group is active on local district affairs in the Sha Tin District and Sai Kung District. Lau remains the convenor of Civil Force.
Lau was defeated by Emily Lau Wai-hing in the 1991 and 1995 elections of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong (LegCo). In 1996, Lau secured a seat in the Provisional Legislative Council. He was elected into LegCo in both 1998 and 2000 LegCo elections in the geographical constituency, after he joined the pro-Beijing Democratic Alliance for Betterment of Hong Kong (DAB).
In 2003, due to the pro-Government stance of DAB especially on the issue of implementing Article 23 of the Basic Law, the popularity of Lau, being a member of the DAB, was affected, and the Civil Force performed not as well in the 2003 District Council elections. Campaigns of some of the members emphasise more on the banner of Civil Force and their local contributions, and did not mention the convenor's connection with the DAB. Lau himself lost the seat in the Sha Tin District Council despite his long service in the district. The Civil Force retained 14 seats in the Sha Tin District Council, and 3 seats in the Sai Kung District Council.
Famous quotes containing the words civil and/or force:
“We have heard all of our lives how, after the Civil War was over, the South went back to straighten itself out and make a living again. It was for many years a voiceless part of the government. The balance of power moved away from it—to the north and the east. The problems of the north and the east became the big problem of the country and nobody paid much attention to the economic unbalance the South had left as its only choice.”
—Lyndon Baines Johnson (1908–1973)
“Here undoubtedly lies the chief poetic energy:Min the force of imagination that pierces or exalts the solid fact, instead of floating among cloud-pictures.”
—George Eliot [Mary Ann (or Marian)