HK democrat formally nominated for leadership poll

HONG KONG, Feb 14 (Reuters) Pro-democracy politician Alan Leong formally qualified today as Hong Kong's first opposition candidate to run for the highest office, setting up a historic contest against incumbent Chief Executive Donald Tsang.

Leong, a Civic Party legislator and barrister, said he had secured 132 nominations from an 800-member panel which will choose Hong Kong's next leader, surmounting an election rule seen to be stacked in Beijing's favour.

Candidates must win at least 100 nominations to run, a requirement never before met by a pro-democracy challenger.

''All the support I've been getting is for the democratic movement in Hong Kong. This is a historic moment,'' he told reporters outside the Electoral Affairs Commission, where he handed in his nomination forms.

Leong's challenge on a pro-democracy ticket takes Hong Kong politics into unchartered waters, with Beijing more accustomed to seeing its annointed candidates sail into office unopposed.

Leong admitted he is a dark-horse candidate with little hope of dethroning the Beijing-backed Tsang on March 25. But the barrister said his entry would further the pan-democratic push for direct elections by 2012, and allow him to publicly challenge and debate Tsang on his policies.

''We're at par with each other because both of us have at least 100 (nominations) and that is the most important thing for us to note this day,'' Leong said.

REUTERS MS PM1040