XN000022-1984-08-02 — Page 4

THURSDAY, AUGUST 2, 1964

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HE SUGGESTED THAT THE SYSTEM OF ELECTIONS BY FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY BE ABOLISHED ALTOGETHER.

THE REASON HE GAVE WAS THAT THE APPOINTED SYSTEM, WHICH CO-EXISTED WITH INDIRECT ELECTIONS, COULD SERVE PRECISELY THE SAME PURPOSE OF HARNESSING THE MUCH-NEEDED SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE AND VALUABLE EXPERTISE IN THE INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY.

THE HON WONG PO-YAN SHARED THE VIEW THAT IT WAS STILL TOO EARLY TO HAVE DIRECT ELECTIONS. HE POINTED TO THE LOW RATES OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND TURNOUT AT PREVIOUS ELECTIONS.

HE SUGGESTED THAT FOR ANY ELECTIONS TO BE MEANINGFUL AND REPRESENTATIVE, AT LEAST 50 PER CENT OF THE POTENTIAL VOTERS SHOULD BE REGISTERED AND THAT THERE SHOULD BE AT LEAST A TWO-THIRDS TURNOUT OF REGISTERED VOTERS.

EXPRESSING A SIMILAR VIEW, THE HON BILL BROWN SAID, +HOWEVER GOOD A REPRESENTATIVE SYSTEM MAY APPEAR IN THEORY, IT SIMPLY WILL NOT WORK UNLESS THE ELECTORATE PLAYS ITS PART THROUGH PARTICIPATING IN ELECTIONS. +

ON THE QUESTION OF CANDIDATES, HE SAID THAT PUBLIC DEBATE ON THE GREEN PAPER HAD HIGHLIGHTED CORRECTLY THE NEED FOR REPRESENTATIVES TO COME FROM ALL WALKS OF SOCIETY, AND NOT ONLY FROM THE MIDDLE AND UPPER SOCIAL STRATA.

BUT HE ADDED THAT WHATEVER THE METHOD OF SELECTION, CANDIDATES FROM THE GRASS ROOTS' WOULD FIND IT DIFFICULT TO PARTICIPATE UNLESS PROPER FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS WERE MADE FOR THEM.

THE HON K.C. CHAN POINTED OUT THAT AS LONG AS IT WAS DEMOCRATIC, DIRECT ELECTIONS AND INDIRECT ELECTIONS THROUGH AN ELECTORAL COLLEGE WERE JUST BOTH ROADS THAT LED TO THE SAME DESTINATION.

ON THE TIMING OF THE CHANGES, HE BELIEVED THAT A CAUTIOUS STEP-BY-STEP APPROACH WAS BETTER THAN A BIG LEAP FORWARD, WHICH MIGHT LEAD TO DISASTROUS RESULTS.

THE HON STEPHEN CHEONG SAID THE TIME FOR DIRECT ELECTIONS WOULD BE WHEN THE SILENT MAJORITY HAD BEEN EDUCATED TO BE MORE CIVIC-MINDED AND POLITICALLY RESPONSIBLE.

ON THE CONCEPT OF ELECTORAL COLLEGE, HE SAID THAT IT MIGHT NOT BE A BAD IDEA TO CONSIDER EXCLUDING APPOINTED MEMBERS FROM THE COLLEGE FOR THE 1988 ELECTIONS, IF THERE WOULD STILL BE A PROVISION FOR 16 MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN 1988 TO BE APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR.

/HE ALSO