XN000022-1987-11-18 — Page 21

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1987

"BUT PEOPLE WHO ARE SO WRAPPED UP IN THEIR OWN IDEALS THAT THEY BECOME UNAWARE OF, OR INSENSITIVE TO, THE REAL STRENGTH OF SENTIMENT IN THE COMMUNITY AS TO AVAILABLE ALTERNATIVES, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME PROOLAIMING THAT THEY, AND ONLY THEY, REPRESENT THAT COMMUNITY, ARE VERY POOR POLITICIANS.

"AND IF THESE SAME PEOPLE HAVE TO PUT UP A SMOKE-SCREEN OF FRIVOLOUS COMPLAINTS TO HIDE EMBARRASSMENT AND FRUSTRATION. OVER THEIR FAILURE TO PRODUCE MORE CONVINCING ARGUMENTS OR TO MAKE ACCURATE PREDICTIONS, THEN THEY ARE IMMATURE, HYPOCRITICAL, IRRESPONSIBLE POLITICIANS.

"LET US BE CONSCIOUS OF THE FACT THAT BAD LOSERS NEVER MAKE GOOD DEMOCRATS," DR SOHMEN ADDED.

"THIS COUNCIL AND OTHERS WILL REMEMBER THAT THOSE OF US WHO ARQUED AGAINST HASTY CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS IN THE JULY DEBATE MADE COMMITMENT IN ADVANCE TO RESPECT THE FINDINGS OF THE SURVEY OFFICE.

A

'SOME OF THOSE IN FAVOUR OF THE EARLY INTRODUCTION OF DIRECT ELECTIONS, HOWEVER, WARNED HONG KONG OF THEIR LIKELY DEPARTURE IF THEY COULD NOT HAVE THEIR BRAND OF 'DEMOCRACY'.

"WHAT SORT OF DEMOCRACY CAN WE EXPECT IN HONG KONG FROM PEOPLE MAKING SUCH PUERILE THREATS? WHAT DEGREE OF COMMITMENT TO HONG KONG AND ITS FUTURE SHOULD BE READ INTO BUCH EGOCENTRIC BEHAVIOUR AND ATTEMPTS AT PSYCHOLOGICAL BLACKMAIL? AND WHAT SHOULD WE READ INTO

THE ATTACKS ON THE MECHANICS OF THE SURVEY EFFORT OR THE METHODOLOGY OF THE OPINION POLLSTERS?" HE SAID.

DR SOHMEN ASKED WHAT CRIES OF OUTRAGE WOULD WE HAVE HEARD IF THE SURVEY OFFICE HAD INDEED OIVEN MORE SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS TO AGB MCNAIR HONG KONG LTD, OR IF AGB MCNAIR HAD SUBSTANTIALLY DEVIATED IN THEIR QUESTIONS FROM THE TERMINOLOGY IN THE GREEN PAPER.

"CONVERSELY, CAN WE ASSUME THAT THE CRITICISMS OF OFFICE WOULD HAVE BEEN AS STRONG IF BY CHANCE THE OPINION REFLECTED THE RESULT DESIRED BY THE PRO-ELECTION LOBBY?

THE SURVEY POLLS RAD

"HOW MANY DISGRUNTLED CITIZENS WOULD LIKELY HAVE TAKEN TO THE STREETS IN THAT EVENT PROTESTING AGAINST THE 'UNFAVOURABLE' FINDINGS OF THE SURVEY OFFICE?

"WHY SHOULD IT BE SEEN AS 'UNFAIR' TO THE ACTIVISTS NOT TO GET THE FULL SUPPORT OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG?"

DR SOHMEN WONDERED Whether the REFORMERS, IN DENOUNCING THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, WHICH HAD BEEN MOST SCRUPULOUS IN KEEPING AWAY FROM THE ASSESSMENT EXERCISE, WERE IN FACT CHIDING THE PEOPLE OF KONG FOR HAVING MADE THE WRONG DECISION.

HONG

/HOWEVER, HE