Legislators-elect Wednesday fought their first battle, even before the start of the Legislative Council term.

It was the battle for best seats.

A special meeting had to be convened as the three major parties all wanted to sit in the central seating zones facing the president's podium, where media cameras tend to focus.

A draw of lots was held among the three parties for the right to choose first.

The Liberal Party won the right to choose first and the Democratic Alliance for Betterment of Hong Kong, the second.

Legislators from both parties will occupy most of the central seats.

The luckless Democratic Party have to stay on the side for the next four years.

Emerging from the meeting, Liberal Party Chairman James Tien seemed pleased with the arrangement.

Not only can the 11 party members sit together. Their seats are adjacent to Heung Yee Kuk's Daniel Lam, who was friendly to them.

Tien did not discuss the fact that "Long Hair" Leung Kwok-hung, who has targeted him all the way during the election campaign, was allocated a seat in the vicinity.

Also sitting together are the four barristers from the Article 45 Concern Group, the five members of the "new Breakfast Group" and the "Labour Union" of Lau Chin-shek, Frederick Fung, Lee Cheuk-yan, Leung Yiu-chung and Fernando Cheung.

At his own request, Albert "Taipan" Cheng joined the Democratic Party in terms of seating arrangements -- with Martin Lee on his left side and two other party members on his right.

(China Daily HK Edition September 23, 2004)