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06 NO 1986
449
MIPT: REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT
1. DRAFT SECTION (D) IS AS FOLLOWS:
BEGINS
DESK OFFICER INDEX
SY
PA
Action Taken
THE STATE OF OPINION IN HONG KONG ON THE 1987 REVIEW
1.
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THE ISSUE OF DIRECT ELECTIONS CONTINUES TO ATTRACT THE GREATEST PUBLIC INTEREST. VIEWS ON THE ISSUE ARE DIVIDED. THOSE STRONGLY IN SUPPORT OF DIRECT ELECTIONS MAINTAIN THEY ARE THE ONLY WAY OF ENSURING THE EVOLUTION OF A GENUINELY REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT, CAPABLE OF SUSTAINING THE HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY'' PROVIDED FOR IN THE JOINT DECLARATION. THOSE AGAINST ARGUE THAT
THE HONG KONG COMMUNITY IS NOT READY FOR SUCH A DEVELOPMENT AND THAT IT COULD BE DESTABILISING. THE DEBATE IS NOW FOCUSSING INCREASINGLY ON THE TIMING OF INTRODUCTION OF DIRECT ELECTIONS AND THE PROPORTION OF LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO BE SELECTED BY THIS METHOD. THERE SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN, AN ACCEPTANCE, EVEN AMONG THE MORE CONSERVATIVE BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL GROUPINGS, THAT THE DIRECT ELECTION OF UP TO 25 PER CENT OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WOULD BE TOLERABLE: AND MIGHT NEUTRALISE DEMANDS FOR EVEN MORE RADICAL CHANGE. HOWEVER BUSINESS GROUPS ARE IN PRIVATE BECOMING INCREASINGLY DOUBTFUL ABOUT THE WISDOM OF INTRODUCING
THEM IN 1988.
2.
DESPITE THE DAYA BAY CONTROVERSY AND THE ACCUSATIONS LEVELLED AT APPOINTED MEMBERS THAT THEIR OBLIGATION TO THE GOVERNMENT MEANS THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO PLACE THE INTERESTS OF THE COMMUNITY FIRST, THERE IS STILL A WIDE MEASURE OF PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR RETENTION OF AN APPOINTED ELEMENT. THE SYSTEM OF INDIRECT ELECTIONS BASED ON FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES IS ALSO GENERALLY SUPPORTED, AND THERE ARE CALLS FOR ITS FURTHER EXPANSION.
3. THERE IS LESS UNANIMITY OF VIEW ON THE ELECTORAL COLLEGES (OF DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS WHO ELECT 10 MEMBERS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.) MEMBERS OF THE DISTRICT BOARDS AND TWO REGIONAL COUNCILS WILL PROBABLY SUPPORT ITS RETENTION, BECAUSE IT PROVIDES THEM WITH DIRECT ACCESS TO MEMBERSHIP OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. HOWEVER, THERE IS CONCERN THAT MEMBERSHIP OF THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE IS TOO NARROWLY-BASED AND HAS RESULTED IN THE ELECTION OF TOO
CONFIDENTIAL
/MANY.
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