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HK opposition lawmakers sink reform package
By Joseph Li (China Daily HK Edition)
Updated: 2005-12-22 08:25
Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang said he regrets the voting down of the
electoral reform proposals by the 24 opposition legislators.
Hong Kong Chief
Executive Donald Tsang briefs the media early December 22, 2005, after
opposition lawmakers in Hong Kong voted down a election reform
package. [China Daily] | The Hong Kong government has no alternative proposal for the 2007 chief
executive (CE) and 2008 Legislative Council (LegCo) elections, he reiterated
early Thursday morning. Now, the existing methods have to be used for the
two elections, in accordance with the April 2004 decision of the National
People's Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC).
Now that the political reform matter is over, Tsang will devote more time and
efforts on economic issues and people's livelihood. And he won't seek the last
resort of dissolving LegCo, even though Article 50 of the Basic Law allows that.
Speaking an hour after the second motion (on the 2008 LegCo election) was
voted down, an exhausted Tsang said his wish that democracy could move forward
had come to nothing.
"I thought it could be a Christmas gift for the people of Hong Kong," he told
a press conference at 1 am this morning. "Rationally, I have to face it. But
emotionally, I regret that Hong Kong has missed the opportunity to take a big
stride forward in democracy.
"I'm also disappointed that voting down of the package in LegCo today has
shattered the people's hope of early implementation of more democratic and open
elections," he said.
It's very difficult to work out within a short time a package that's
acceptable to a majority of the lawmakers, society as a whole and the central
government, he said. So having a second package is out of question.
Just before the press conference, Chief Secretary for Administration Rafael
Hui said Democratic Party legislator Martin Lee's and Hong Kong Catholic Diocese
Bishop Joseph Zen's wish to bring constitutional development to a standstill had
come true.
Asked to comment on the role of Lee and Bishop Zen, Tsang said: "It's clear
to the people that we had a good proposal that would have taken us further
forward to democracy, but it was stopped by LegCo last night.
"It was the decision of the 24 legislators and that was the most important
thing. These 24 people, in my view, played a far more important role than Bishop
Zen."
Asked how he would explain the aftermath to the State leaders during his duty
visit on December 27, Tsang said President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao knew
Hong Kong affairs inside out.
"Maybe they are now watching this live press conference," he said with a
bitter smile. "But I will truly tell them what has happened in Hong Kong and
give them an objective analysis."
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