Friday, August 8, 2014, 08:39
By Kahon Chan in Hong Kong
Two-thirds of Hong Kong residents prefer negotiation to confrontation as a way to achieve constitutional reform, a poll revealed on Thursday.
The results announced on Thursday came from the second of a series of polls commissioned by the Concern Group for Public Opinion on Constitutional Development. The polls aim to examine the opinions of Hong Kong people on 2017 Chief Executive (CE) election reforms — free from the influence of political parties.
The 15 poll sponsors include realty agency owner Shih Wing-ching and two Democratic Party members. It also includes ex-lawmaker Fred Li Wah-ming, who repeatedly told the press conference they were not advocating any specific proposals.
Between July 21 and 27, 1,017 people completed a telephone poll conducted by Lingnan University’s Public Governance Program. A quarter of respondents identified themselves as pro-establishment, while over a third specified no particular political allegiance.
Over half (55 percent) of respondents hope to pick the Chief Executive in 2017 by popular vote — even if the nomination procedure is less than perfect.
Shih said that compared with the previous poll, views now appeared more sharply divided. Those who had not chosen sides before appeared to be aligning themselves with the pro-establishment camp, he noted.
However, 61.3
Like the previous poll, 51.3 percent of respondents accepted that “Loving the Country, Loving Hong Kong” is a legitimate premise to ensure the CE is accountable to the central government. Some 36.5 percent feared this could give rise to “vetting”.
Two-thirds called for dialogue and less than a fifth said they supported confrontation in order to achieve universal suffrage. Some 7.1 percent said they agreed with both approaches.
Democratic Party member Tik Chi-yuen said that most people were probably sick of confrontation, and only a “minority” still believed in it.
Both Shih and senior counsel Laurence Li Lu-jen said moderate members of the opposition camp needed to make their voices heard.
Li also urged opposition lawmakers to behave like leaders, instead of politicians only wanting to win the next election.
Less than an hour after the poll results were announced, a non-partisan group of politicians, academics, professionals and religious leaders spoke to the media. They called for more effort from all sides to “create a social environment conducive to sensible dialogue”.
Supporters of the group include Legislative Council President Jasper Tsang Yok-sing; Executive Councilor Bernard Charnwut Chan; Chan Wing-kee, a Standing Committee member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference; and former financial secretary Antony Leung Kam-chung.
While none of these people appeared at Thursday’s press conference, National People’s Congress Deputy Priscilla Lau Pui-king and Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions (FTU) legislator Chan Yuen-han were present to represent the pro-establishment camp.
In a short statement they expressed concern that Hong Kong was becoming more politically polarized. They warned that this situation could be “exacerbated” if there is no universal suffrage in 2017. They said the key question was whether all parties were prepared to come to a consensus.
“In the interests of all Hong Kong residents and the future of ‘One Country, Two Systems’,” they called for “sensible dialogue”.
They also appealed for more understanding from all sides. “Please bring about a favorable outcome for the 7 million Hong Kong people!” the group said.
Law Chi-kwong, a social welfare expert and Democratic Party member, said it had taken only two days to get the backing of 39 prominent people.
Law had removed the word “confrontation” from their draft statement to ensure no one would feel they were being criticized.
The only opposition party that officially endorsed their cause was the Professional Commons. Its vice-chairman, Stanley Ng Wing-fai, joined the petition with the consent of the party’s two lawmakers, Charles Mok Nai-kwong and Kenneth Leung Kai-cheong.
Chan Yuen-han told reporters she was “happy” with the enormous backing the group had already received. However, she refused to elaborate on the FTU’s position.
kahon@chinadailyhk.com
The results announced on Thursday came from the second of a series of polls commissioned by the Concern Group for Public Opinion on Constitutional Development. The polls aim to examine the opinions of Hong Kong people on 2017 Chief Executive (CE) election reforms — free from the influence of political parties.
The 15 poll sponsors include realty agency owner Shih Wing-ching and two Democratic Party members. It also includes ex-lawmaker Fred Li Wah-ming, who repeatedly told the press conference they were not advocating any specific proposals.
Between July 21 and 27, 1,017 people completed a telephone poll conducted by Lingnan University’s Public Governance Program. A quarter of respondents identified themselves as pro-establishment, while over a third specified no particular political allegiance.
Over half (55 percent) of respondents hope to pick the Chief Executive in 2017 by popular vote — even if the nomination procedure is less than perfect.
Shih said that compared with the previous poll, views now appeared more sharply divided. Those who had not chosen sides before appeared to be aligning themselves with the pro-establishment camp, he noted.
However, 61.3
Like the previous poll, 51.3 percent of respondents accepted that “Loving the Country, Loving Hong Kong” is a legitimate premise to ensure the CE is accountable to the central government. Some 36.5 percent feared this could give rise to “vetting”.
Two-thirds called for dialogue and less than a fifth said they supported confrontation in order to achieve universal suffrage. Some 7.1 percent said they agreed with both approaches.
Democratic Party member Tik Chi-yuen said that most people were probably sick of confrontation, and only a “minority” still believed in it.
Both Shih and senior counsel Laurence Li Lu-jen said moderate members of the opposition camp needed to make their voices heard.
Li also urged opposition lawmakers to behave like leaders, instead of politicians only wanting to win the next election.
Less than an hour after the poll results were announced, a non-partisan group of politicians, academics, professionals and religious leaders spoke to the media. They called for more effort from all sides to “create a social environment conducive to sensible dialogue”.
Supporters of the group include Legislative Council President Jasper Tsang Yok-sing; Executive Councilor Bernard Charnwut Chan; Chan Wing-kee, a Standing Committee member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference; and former financial secretary Antony Leung Kam-chung.
While none of these people appeared at Thursday’s press conference, National People’s Congress Deputy Priscilla Lau Pui-king and Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions (FTU) legislator Chan Yuen-han were present to represent the pro-establishment camp.
In a short statement they expressed concern that Hong Kong was becoming more politically polarized. They warned that this situation could be “exacerbated” if there is no universal suffrage in 2017. They said the key question was whether all parties were prepared to come to a consensus.
“In the interests of all Hong Kong residents and the future of ‘One Country, Two Systems’,” they called for “sensible dialogue”.
They also appealed for more understanding from all sides. “Please bring about a favorable outcome for the 7 million Hong Kong people!” the group said.
Law Chi-kwong, a social welfare expert and Democratic Party member, said it had taken only two days to get the backing of 39 prominent people.
Law had removed the word “confrontation” from their draft statement to ensure no one would feel they were being criticized.
The only opposition party that officially endorsed their cause was the Professional Commons. Its vice-chairman, Stanley Ng Wing-fai, joined the petition with the consent of the party’s two lawmakers, Charles Mok Nai-kwong and Kenneth Leung Kai-cheong.
Chan Yuen-han told reporters she was “happy” with the enormous backing the group had already received. However, she refused to elaborate on the FTU’s position.
kahon@chinadailyhk.com
