By Emily Lau



One of Hong Kong’s most outspoken and popular politicians, Emily Lau leads The Frontier party.

Back on July 1, the 11th anniversary of Hong Kong’s reversion to Chinese sovereignty, more than 40,000 people took to the streets to vent their anger and frustration at the inept administration of the city’s chief executive, Donald Tsang. This was the sixth consecutive year when Hong Kong people marched in huge numbers on July 1 to demonstrate against their government.

The biggest show of force happened in 2003 when 500,000 people dressed in black and protested against legislation on national security that they feared would endanger freedoms and undermine the rule of law. They felt deep dissatisfaction with former chief executive C.H. Tung, security secretary Regina Ip and financial secretary Antony Leung.

Soon after that march, Ip and Leung resigned. Two years later, Tung did too. The triumph of people’s power felt exhilarating. Sadly, such demonstrations have removed some unpopular politicians, but failed to help Hong Kong to secure democratic government.

To the dismay of Hong Kong people, the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) ruled in April 2004 that Hong Kong could not elect its chief executive or all members of its Legislative Council (Legco) by universal and equal suffrage in 2007 and 2008. Then in December last year, the NPCSC ruled out direct elections in 2012.

In response to the popular desire for universal suffrage, the NPCSC said that one-person-one-vote may be used to elect the chief executive in 2017 and that perhaps all Legco members can be elected the same way in 2020. But this isn’t a categorical promise or an official undertaking. Many people are convinced that candidates unacceptable to Beijing or to business tycoons won’t be allowed to stand for election to the top political post, making the so-called elections undemocratic and unfair.

As for the 2020 Legco election, Tsang has told Legco that the existing functional constituencies, a form of limited franchise giving handpicked companies and professional people extra votes to choose legislators from their own groupings, can be converted to universal suffrage with a bit of tinkering.

The British colonial government created this abominable form of elections in 1985. The Chinese Government approved and enshrined it in the Basic Law. With such inequality institutionalized, there’s deep concern that it may never end. Therefore, many people doubt that Hong Kong will have democratic elections in 2017 and 2020.

Although Beijing rules out direct elections in 2012, members of The Frontier party continue to demand it. Many of the people who marched on July 1 share our aspiration.

The latest July 1 protest march gives yet more evidence that people are dissatisfied with Tsang’s administration. They want a democratic political system and a government that responds to their wishes and aspirations. We hope that Tsang and the central government have heard loudly and clearly.

ARCHIVES