Electoral reform plans put before HK legislature
Print Edition
HONG Kong election reform proposals that sparked massive street protests last year in the southern Chinese financial center were yesterday presented to the Legislative Council, giving local residents for the first time the right to vote for the chief executive in 2017.
Under guidelines laid down by the National People’s Congress, voters will choose from a set of candidates screened by an election committee.
Hong Kong’s government needs the support of at least two-thirds of the 70 lawmakers, or 47 seats, to win approval when it goes to a vote. The council adjourned in the evening without a vote, but it is expected no later than tomorrow.
The final round of a rolling poll conducted by three Hong Kong universities showed 47 percent of respondents backed the reform proposal, 38 percent were against, while 15 percent were undecided.
“The bill needs to go through. We have to support Hong Kong stability. We cannot keep carrying on like this,” said a 60-year-old man surnamed Chan. “We have worked so hard all these years.”
In a front page editorial, yesterday’s People’s Daily newspaper said the reform package on offer was the best option for maintaining Hong Kong’s stability, prosperity and rising living standards.
“Universal suffrage must be considered within the framework of ‘one country, two systems’ and Hong Kong’s Basic Law, in accordance with Hong Kong’s current conditions,” the paper said.
It urged lawmakers to pass the bill, saying “social chaos” could ensue otherwise.
“Around the globe, there are examples of countries implementing forms of universal suffrage unsuited to their conditions, leading to social chaos, economic crisis and falling living standards,” the paper said.
Hong Kong’s deputy leader Carrie Lam warned any reforms would be off the table if the package was blocked.
“This administration cannot relaunch the (reform) process... political development will inevitably come to a standstill,” she told lawmakers.
Lawmaker Regina Ip said rejecting the package would be “a great loss.”
The atmosphere outside the legislature was calm last night. Police patrolled the legislative building as security was stepped up after an alleged bomb plot which saw 10 people arrested earlier this week and six charged with conspiring to make explosives.
Five were remanded in custody after appearing in court yesterday while the others have been released on bail.
Authorities are bracing for the possibility of violent protests as the vote nears. Legislature officials have raised the alert level and authorized police inside the building.
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