Editor's note: Grenville Cross, a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN, is a senior counsel and law professor, and former director of public prosecutions of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

Although the mood was sombre, an estimated 31.9 percent of registered voters cast their ballots in the eighth-term Legislative Council election in Hong Kong on Sunday. Although many people were traumatized in the aftermath of Hong Kong's worst fire in nearly 80 years, voter participation was higher than in the previous vote in 2021. The electors realized they had to discharge their civic responsibilities, and that the incoming legislators have vital work to do.

Indeed, Electoral Affairs Commission chairman David Lok Kai-hong said he was encouraged by the fact that over 1.3 million voters had participated. Although it had been difficult to hold the elections at this time, as many people had been affected by the fire, he saw the polls as the first step to normality after the tragedy. He hoped they would unleash "positive energy," and help Hong Kong recover as quickly as possible – a view widely shared by candidates, voters and officials.

This was the second Legislative Council election conducted under the "patriots administering Hong Kong" system adopted in 2021, and 161 candidates contested 90 seats. Their platforms were varied, and the large number of independent candidates with distinctive platforms of their own was a positive feature of the campaign. But whatever the variations in their policy positions, the victors can be trusted to advocate the principle of putting life first in the coming years.

The days when certain legislators danced to the tune of the West and sought to harm their own city are long since gone, and the new breed of legislators can be trusted to put Hong Kong first.

Indeed, shortly after the polls closed, Hong Kong's Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu pledged to work closely with the newly elected legislators in support of recovery efforts after the Tai Po fire, and to pursue institutional reforms. He had earlier indicated that he would be mobilizing support for fire victims and implementing "systemic reform" – beginning with a motion to be moved by the government and a potential law banning smoking at all construction sites.

While Lee has pledged to appoint a committee to examine the circumstances of the fire and to make recommendations, he intends to implement various reforms in the meantime, some of which are urgent. He envisaged "a safer city where citizens could live with greater peace of mind," which was laudable. One way or another, he said he was determined "to find out the truth and hold those responsible accountable."

The incoming legislature will work with Lee's administration to achieve good governance. The legislators undoubtedly agree with Lee when he said "We need to cooperate on passing public budgets and lawmaking, plugging existing loopholes, making the city safer and assuring the public." In other words, Hong Kong's future governance will be in the hands of those who want to advance people's welfare and support the city's interests.

A big winner in the elections was the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB), which took 20 seats. Its vice-chairman Holden Chow Ho-ding polled well in the New Territories North West constituency, garnering 42,347 votes.

He endorsed Lee's views and said the most pressing issues were building renovation after the fire and healthcare. There had to be a full reform of the policy governing how to regulate the maintenance work on the high-rise buildings, construction works and occupational safety. It is clear, therefore, that the incoming legislators will be singing from the same hymn sheet as the administration, and the big beneficiary will be the people of Hong Kong.    

Although the executive, the legislature and the public are united in their determination to help the fire victims and do everything possible to ensure there are no similar tragedies in future, hostile forces have, yet again, sought to politicize the situation and promote disharmony.

They know this will delight certain antagonists, and imagine it will also undermine Hong Kong's progress. However, the authorities have acted decisively whenever criminal activity was suspected, whether related directly to the fire or connected to seditious activity thereafter.

As the Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung, explained to the New York Times, suspected culprits have been arrested for manslaughter and corrupt practices, and "any attempts to sabotage our recovery work will be handled seriously." This will be reassuring for everybody who values the "one country, two systems" principle and believes in a stable society.

In 1954, the late British journalist Donald McLachlin popularized the phrase "the smack of firm government." It implies clear direction, firm resolve and decisive action, as opposed to weak or hesitant rule. It has become shorthand for the sort of strong, no-nonsense governance necessary at times of crisis. It is much to his credit that Lee has demonstrated these qualities after the Tai Po tragedy, and history will undoubtedly judge him and his administration kindly.

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