Family values, tunnel tolls, transport links, city-village integration, and protecting local labour were among the issues raised by the five New Territories North West candidates in the upcoming Legislative Council elections at a government-organised election forum on Wednesday.

Holden Chow, a solicitor and DAB lawmaker seeking re-election, highlighted his record, including tackling street obstruction in Tuen Mun and Yuen Long, improving dental services, and pushing up pay for community nannies.

He said he would continue to enhance elderly welfare, safeguard local grassroots employment, and protect traditional family values.

"I will help defend family values and uphold the marriage system between a man and a woman. In September, I voted against the Legislative Council’s same-sex partnership registration bill because we must protect the institution of marriage and avoid recognising same-sex marriage," he said.

Mark Chong, an engineer and a representative from Roundtable, focused on transport, noting that the New Territories Northwest and the Northern Metropolis are central to Hong Kong’s future development, but current and planned transport infrastructure still falls short of needs.

He added that the Tai Lam Tunnel tolls are unfair to New Territories Northwest residents.

"The government took back the Tai Lam Tunnel this year, yet it still charges HK$30 during non-peak hours and HK$18 at regular times, using the HK$500 million surplus to subsidise other free or loss-making tunnels. We believe this is extremely unfair to residents of the New Territories Northwest, so we propose waiving Tai Lam Tunnel tolls during regular and non-peak hours," he said.

Yuen Long district councillor Jason Leung, who's also a rural and urban planning consultant, said he focuses on city-village integration and believes developing new industries can address local residents’ needs for jobs and consumption within the district, thereby improving quality of life.

"I often ask myself whether the New Territories can improve and how urban and rural areas can become more integrated. As someone born and raised there, I prioritise the well-being of local residents. I will promote urban-rural integration by using my professional expertise. I will carry out long-term regional urban planning. The Northern Metropolis isn’t just a slogan — we must drive innovative development to make the local economy take off again," he said.

Kam Man-fung, a Tuen Mun district councillor from the New People’s Party, said he is focused on ensuring that residents in Tuen Mun and Yuen Long enjoy a smooth transport network, and on supporting the development of the Northern Metropolis.

"If I am fortunate enough to be elected as a lawmaker, I will do my utmost to advance the construction of the Tuen Mun Bypass and Route 11. This will give residents of Tuen Mun and Yuen Long a smooth transport network. Only with that network can we further drive Northern Metropolis development and increase its chances of success," he said.

Michael Luk, a lawmaker representing the Federation of Trade Unions, said he is most concerned about the rights of local workers, urging tighter controls on imported labour.

"The Federation of Trade Unions insists on fully implementing a ‘local employees first’ policy, because we believe employment is the top priority for people’s livelihoods and the locomotive of the economy. I call on the government to review and tighten policies on imported labour, crack down hard on illegal workers, fully unleash the local labour force, strengthen retraining and job matching, and encourage senior employment," he said.

A total of 39 “Patriots Collaborate for Good Governance” election forums are being organised by the government, covering the geographical, functional and Election Committee constituencies.

All the forums will be broadcast live on RTHK TV31 and RTHK Radio 1.