Chairman of the Democratic Alliance for Betterment of Hong Kong (DAB) Ma Lik said Sunday that he contracted colon cancer, but he would still stand for the third term Legislative Council (LegCo) election on Sept. 12.

The 52-year-old Ma said in a press conference that he would receive immediate medical treatment and not attend the electoral campaign as advised by doctors.

Ma will remain chairman of the DAB, DAB Vice-Chairman and lawmaker Tam Yiu-chung said in the press conference, adding that the other DAB candidates will do their best to invite votes for DAB in Ma's absence before the upcoming LegCo election.

For the election of the third term LegCo, 30 lawmakers will be directly elected, a rise from the 24 in the second term, and the other 30 chosen among different professions.

The DAB has 10 lawmakers in the second term of the LegCo.

(Xinhua News Agency August 8, 2004)