HK opposition 'should be held liable' for reform failure
By Joseph Li (China Daily HK Edition)
Updated: 2005-12-22 08:43

Local political figures in Hong Kong expressed regret Wednesday over the failure to pass the 2007-08 electoral reform proposals of Legislative Council (LegCo).

The officials said those who voted against the package should be held responsible for not advancing democratic development in Hong Kong.

Chan Wing-kee, a standing committee member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said he was disappointed that the reform package was voted down.

The impasse will slow the pace of democratization and weaken the mutual trust between the central government and the opposition camp, he said.

He added that Chief Executive Donald Tsang did all he could to come up with a suitable proposals, however. Tsang should not be held responsible for the failure, Chan said, but those who opposed the package should be.

Kenneth Ting, chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Industries, said he was greatly disappointed at the large number of legislators who ignored the public desire to achieve universal suffrage in a gradual and orderly manner.

Several opinion polls showed that the majority of citizens supported the government proposals, he noted, and the government had made last-ditch efforts to improve the package.

"We trust that the SAR (Special Administrative Region) government has done its best to go ahead with constitutional development in Hong Kong within the framework of the Basic Law," Ting said.

"But it is a pity that the Legislative Council voted down the proposals, because it could have broadened democratic elements throughout the hierarchy of governance in Hong Kong."

Beijing commentators

The central authorities are expected to continue to implement the Basic Law despite the failed attempt to get the government reform package through the Legislative Council (LegCo).

Xu Chongde, a member of the former Basic Law Drafting Committee, said it took a lot of time and effort for the Special Administrative Region (SAR) government to come up with an electoral proposals.

He said he did not understand why some LegCo members voted against the proposals, but he believed the National People's Congress and the central government would continue to implement the Basic Law.

"What can you do? Of course it would have been much better if the proposals were passed," he said.

"But the sky won't collapse, the world keeps on moving and we can still use the existing electoral arrangements."

He said he also believed communication between the central government and the opposition camp would not be greatly affected, adding that the outcome would not erode the central government's trust in Chief Executive Donald Tsang.

Lian Xisheng, legal adviser to the Basic Law Drafting Committee, questioned whether legislators who vetoed the package were holding a truly responsible attitude toward the package.

He said the opposition camp was not acting responsibly because it knew that it could take constitutional development forward if they voted for the proposals.