Thursday, August 14, 2014, 08:43
By Kahon Chan in Hong Kong
Basic Law adviser Elsie Leung Oi-sie said endorsement by a majority of Nominating Committee members could be “one of the ways” to ensure the acceptability of a Chief Executive (CE) candidate.
Leung, deputy director of the HKSAR Basic Law Committee under the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC), was discussing political reform in Hong Kong on Phoenix TV on Wednesday.
The former justice secretary explained that a high “threshold” at the nomination stage would ensure strong public support for candidates.
“Why are we electing the CE by universal suffrage? We want him to enjoy a certain level of public support and credibility,” Leung explained.
One way to ensure a high acceptability, she added, is to admit a candidate only if he is backed by majority members in the Nominating Committee.
She reiterated that there is no “international standard” of democracy to assess an election model.
Leung said a statutory Nominating Committee for the CE election in Hong Kong would shortlist the most “deserving” choices for the full electorate.
Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR, Zhang Xiaoming, will begin meeting opposition legislators on Friday. Leung hopes for a frank exchange between the two sides. She appealed to the opposition to make compromises.
Leung added that the popular CE election, in spite of a pre-selection of candidates, would be a major development in Hong Kong.
Leung said she was confident democracy would continue to move forward following implementation of universal suffrage.
Agreeing with city officials, she warned that people might have to wait another decade if the current electoral reform fails to reach a consensus in the legislature.
Hong Kong people would be very disappointed by the impasse, she stressed.
http://www.chinadailyasia.com/hknews/2014-08/14/content_15156622.html
