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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 1988
PEOPLE URGED TO STUDY BASIC LAW
HONG KONG PEOPLE SHOULD STUDY THE DRAFT BASIC LAW AND THEIR VIEWS KNOWN TO CHINA IF THEY WANT TO KEEP THEIR LIFE-STYLE PUSH FOR GREATER DEMOCRACY, STABILITY AND PROSPERITY.
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THIS WAS STATED BY THE HON HILTON CHEONG-LEEN IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) DURING THE DEBATE ON THE WHITE PAPER ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT.
MR CHEONG-LEEN DESCRIBED THE WHITE PAPER AS, IN FRANK TERMS, PRIMARILY A HOLDING OPERATION PENDING THE ADOPTION OF THE BASIC LAW IN 1990.
"THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WILL FROM NOW ON HAVE TO FOCUS THEIR CONCERTED ATTENTION ON STUDYING THE DRAFT BASIC LAW WHICH WILL BE PROMULGATED IN MAY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, HE SAID.
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"TO THE EXTENT THAT THE BASIC LAW INCORPORATED DIRECT ELECTIONS TO THE LEGISLATURE WILL IT BE FEASIBLE FOR THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO HAVE IT FROM 1991 ONWARDS?" HE ASKED.
MR CHEONG-LEEN SAID HE THOUGHT IT FAIR ΤΟ SAY THAT THE AGB MCNAIR QUESTIONNAIRE ON DIRECT ELECTIONS TO LEGCO WAS NOT TOO EASILY UNDERSTOOD.
HOWEVER, HE POINTED OUT THAT EVEN IF THE MCNAIR REPORT HAD INDICATED THAT 50 PER CENT OR MORE OF THE POPULATION WERE IN FAVOUR OF DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1988, THE FACT REMAINED THAT CHINA DID NOT WANT DIRECT ELECTIONS UNTIL AFTER THE BASIC LAW WAS PASSED IN 1990.
"THIS IS A SITUATION OF REALPOLITIK WHICH THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG HAVE TO FACE UP TO IN A REALISTIC WAY AND WITHOUT LOSING HOPE THAT THE PROCESS OF DEMOCRATISATION WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP STEADILY DURING THE TRANSITION PERIOD, HE SAID.
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STRESSING THAT HE PERSONALLY WOULD HAVE PREFERRED DIRECT ELECTIONS TO BE INTRODUCED IN LEGCO THIS YEAR, MR CHEONG-LEEN NOTED THAT A SIZEABLE PORTION OF THE POPULATION WAS IN FAVOUR OF 1991, ALTHOUGH TO WHAT EXTENT CHINA'S ATTITUDE DID INFLUENCE PUBLIC OPINION IN THIS RESPECT WAS DIFFICULT TO QUANTIFY.
"IT WOULD SEEM THEREFORE THAT HAVING DIRECT ELECTIONS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IS TODAY STILL HIGHLY CONTROVERSIAL, WHILE PUTTING IT FORWARD TO 1991 WOULD BE NOT SO PROGRESSIVE BUT LESS CONTROVERSIAL AND ATTRACT LESS OBJECTION FROM CERTAIN INFLUENTIAL SECTIONS OF THE COMMUNITY AND FROM CHINA, HE SAID.
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/NEVERTHELESS, MR
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