XN000022-1986-11-05 — Page 7

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1986

MR LEE SAID THAT SUCH A SYSTEM SIMPLY WOULD NOT DO BECAUSE IT DID NOT ENABLE THOSE IN POWER TO DEFEND THE INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE VIS-A-VIS THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT.

+FOR A GOVERNMENT THAT HAS THE SUPPORT OF SUCH A SMALL MINORITY OF THE PEOPLE IT GOVERNS IS BOUND TO SEEK SUPPORT FROM THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT AND WILL THUS BECOME A MERE PUPPET GOVERNMENT,+ HE SAID.

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MR LEE POINTED OUT THAT HE WAS NOT AGAINST RICH PEOPLE ENTERING POLITICS BUT FELT THAT THEY SHOULD, LIKE THEIR RICH COUNTERPARTS IN THE REST OF THE FREE WORLD, BE ELECTED BY THE IR PEOPLE AND WORK FOR IT.

IN NOT WANTING TO COMPETE IN AN EQUAL ELECTION AND INSISTING THAT THEY BE ALLOCATED CERTAIN PLACES IN THE LEGISLATURE, THEY WERE DEMANDING WHAT HAD BEEN CALLED A +POLITICAL FREE LUNCH+, HE SAID.

MR LEE CONSIDERED IT NECESSARY TO INTRODUCE DIRECT ELECTIONS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN 1988, STARTING WITH A PROPORTION OF 25 PER CENT, WHILE KEEPING THE PRESENT THREE TYPES OF MEMBERSHIP FROM FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES, ELECTORAL COLLEGES AND APPOINTMENTS TO 25 PER CENT EACH,

HE SUGGESTED THAT AFTER THE 1988 ELECTION, A REVIEW SHOULD BE MADE IN EITHER 1989 OR 1990 TO SEE HOW WELL DIRECT ELECTIONS WERE RECEIVED BY HONG KONG PEOPLE TO DECIDE ON THE PERCENTAGES FOR THE VARIOUS MODES OF ELECTION IN 1991.

AFTER THAT. ANOTHER REVIEW WOULD BE NEEDED TO SEE WHAT THE COMPOSITION OF THE COUNCIL SHOULD BE BY 1994, HE ADDED.

HE SAID SUCH A GRADUAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE POLITICAL SYSTEM WAS NECESSARY IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN CONFIDENCE AND IT WAS ONLY FAIR THAT THE PEOPLE SHOULD DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES THE TYPES OF ELECTION THEY WANTED TO HAVE AND TO WHAT EXTENT.

+ DEMOCRACY IS OUR GOAL. LET NO ONE COMPROMISE IT WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, HE SAID.

MR LEE SAID HE WAS CONFIDENT THAT ONCE THE PEOPLE HAD SEEN HOW DIRECT ELECTIONS REALLY WORKED, THEY WOULD BE PERSUADED THAT THEY WERE A GOOD THING, LEADING TO A PEACEFUL TRANSFORMATION OF THE PRESENT COLONIAL SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT INTO +A SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT WHICH WAS FAIR, RESPONSIBLE AND RESPONSIVE TO THE WISHES OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG+,

+MANY WILL SEE THAT THERE IS HOPE IN OUR FUTURE, BECAUSE THEY SEE SOME REASONABLE PROSPECTS OF THE FUTURE DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT BEING REALLY ABLE TO EXERCISE A HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY, AND THUS SAFEGUARD OUR FREEDOMS, AND DEFEND OUR INTERESTS.

+THEY MAY THEN CHOOSE TO STAY IN HONG KONG, HE SAID.

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