Thursday, June 30, 2011   




Support fades for 2012 elections

Carrie Chan

Monday, November 15, 2004

Hong Kong's pro-Beijing politicians and businessmen appear to

be backing away from their support of full democracy in 2012 after the

Central Liaison Office and SAR government officials told them that

pushing for 2012 adds fuel to the fire.

Meanwhile, pro-democracy lawmakers remain preoccupied with a

referendum on public opinion for universal suffrage in 2007 and 2008

despite Beijing's advice to its allies to retreat.

Pro-Beijing lawmakers find themselves in a predicament, having

promised electors universal suffrage in 2012. The central government

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now tells them it is not prepared to go along with their aspirations.

To divert public and media attention, these loyalists are focusing on

electoral arrangements for 2007 and 2008. Concrete, detailed proposals

have been submitted to the Task Force on Constitutional Development to

seek a realistic consensus for an improved electoral structure.

Ironically, while the pro-Beijing camp is backing away from full

democracy in 2012, two democrats have called for their allies to give

up their daydream of universal suffrage in 2007 and 2008. It is ironic

that these democratic leaders are keener than Central Liaison

officials to dissuade democrats.

At the end of last month, Chan Kam-lam of the Democratic Alliance for

the Betterment of Hong Kong reiterated a plan to amend the party

platform for the third time to promise full democracy in 2012 as the

DAB did while campaigning.

The next day, party spokesman Lau Kwong-wah changed the priority on

electoral arrangements; 2012 was set aside without much explanation.

Last Saturday, party vice-chairman and former Exco member Tam

Yiu-chung avoided all mention of 2012 in an election forum.

At a recent private gathering at the Central Liaison Office, Rita Fan,

president of the Legislative Council, was strongly criticised for her

support of full democracy in 2012.

Since the April 26 decision by the Standing Committee of the National

People's Congress ruling out universal suffrage in 2007-08, the

central government has been restrained on the political front. Efforts

have been made to assuage public discontent, with Beijing mute until

recently on calls for full democracy in 2012. If not for the

referendum saga, constitutional reforms would proceed according to

schedule.

Some democrats say the pursuit of full democracy should not be for

immediate gain. Idealism and pragmatism are two different forces.

While rebellious democrats are using the referendum to keep public

aspirations for full democracy on the boil, their efforts so far have

netted them little. But some pragmatic democrats believe any decision

by Beijing to delay universal suffrage will awaken political forces in

Hong Kong.

Beijing finds it appealing for the Democrats to fight for universal

suffrage in 2007 and 2008 because it produces political deadlock and

little else. Recently, the SAR deputy of the National People's

Congress and founding chairman of the Liberal Party, Allen Lee,

retreated from supporting universal suffrage in 2007 and 2008. As late

as the July 1 rally, Lee had been a vocal supporter of full democracy.

He reprimanded the central government over the rejection of universal

suffrage for the 2007 and 2008 elections.

But six months later Lee chastises democrats for refusing to accept

the truth and blinding their supporters.

Anthony Cheung, despite his departure from the Democratic Party and

subsequent retreat to the academic world, offered earlier this month

to become a middleman in an attempt to reach consensus in the

pan-democratic camp but received a cool response.

Although Lee and Cheung, as pragmatists, are in the minority in the

pan-democratic camp, they have failed to make the rebellious democrats

realise the significance of a realistic target for full democracy.

A consensus of all parties and politicians for 2012 universal suffrage

is a powerful bargaining chip for full discussions with Beijing on

constitutional reform.

Pessimists like Shiu Sin-por of the One Country Two Systems Research

Institute believe Beijing will refuse any timetable or commit to any

changes if democrats insist on challenging the central government's

authority instead of attempting to build up trust.

If they continue their confrontation, Beijing instead will view them

as attempting to encroach on national sovereignty and seeking to turn

Hong Kong ungovernable.

carrie.chan2@globalchina.com

All rights reserved.

END


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