primarily local Government Councillors and tended to
concentrate on local Government matters rather than
the broader national interests.
From my experience in Sarawak I think there was some point in this criticism during the period of direct
colonial rule. Once Sarawak moved into Malaysia, then
the interests of the various political parties tended to
predominate. On the other hand, a very large number of the people returned at the local Government Councils were returned as independents and not as definite party members, although many of them tended to support one or other of the polical parties.
My conclusion is that there is some advantage in
using this indirect system of election at an early
stage, but that direct elections are probably the
better system for more advanced constitutions. This of course does not apply to Hong Kong, which, for various reasons, cannot hope to achieve full internal self-
government.
We could put to the Governor of Hong Kong that
once a local Government system has been properly establish- ed the possibility of some of the unofficial members of Legislative Council being elected by the local Councils should be considered. Under the proposed arrangements for local Government, however, the local Councils will not be wholly elected in the first
instance and will contain a nominated element. This
might tend to make the direct election system less democratic unless the election of Legislative Council
members is restricted to elected members only.
(H.P. Hall) 31 May 1967
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