XN000022-1990-03-01 — Page 11

10

THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 1990

J

GIVEN THE POLITICAL WILL AND

DETERMINATION, SHE SAID, WE COULD MAKE REVISIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS TO THE BASIC LAW ΤΟ COPE WITH THE CHANGING POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT IN HONG KONG AND CHINA.

"FOR THE TIME BEING, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO MAINTAIN OUR SENSE OF DIRECTION, BE CONSTRUCTIVE AND ADOPT A POSITIVE ATTITUDE, SHE SAID,

怦

RESTRICTION ON NATIONALITY NOT RIGHT

IT IS NOT RIGHT FOR THE BASIC LAW DRAFT MODEL TO INCLUDE A 20 PER CENT RESTRICTION ON THE NUMBER OF LEGISLATORS HOLDING FOREIGN PASSPORTS OR RIGHT OF ABODE OVERSEAS, FOR THESE PEOPLE STAND FOR HONG KONG AND HONG KONG ALONE, DR THE HON LEONG CHE-HUNG SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (THURSDAY).

SPEAKING IN THE DEBATE ON THE FUTURE POLITICAL SYSTEM, LEONG SAID THE SPIRIT OF THE JOINT DECLARATION WAS TO SAFEGUARD FREEDOMS AND RIGHTS OF HONG KONG PEOPLE AFTER 1997, FOR 50 YEARS.

DR

THE

THE EXISTING SYSTEM DID NOT FORBID ANYBODY, WHETHER HE HELD A FOREIGN PASSPORT OR RIGHT OF ABODE OVERSEAS, FROM TAKING PART IN THE ADMINISTRATION AND LEGISLATURE SO LONG AS HE WAS QUALIFIED AS A PERMANENT RESIDENT HERE.

"CHINA HAS PLEDGED NOT TO CHANGE HONG KONG'S SYSTEM. TO IMPOSE SUCH A RESTRICTION IS TO CHANGE THE SYSTEM, DR LEONG SAID.

IT WAS DIFFICULT ΤΟ UNDERSTAND HOW THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT COULD CO-OPERATE AND ALLOW AN ISSUE THAT CLEARLY VIOLATED THE SPIRIT AND LETTER OF THE JOINT DECLARATION.

ON A TECHNICAL BASIS, DR LEONG SAID, THE NATIONALITY RESTRICTION IN THE FUTURE LEGISLATURE SIMPLY DID NOT WORK, AS THE SYSTEM COULD NEVER ENSURE THAT NO MORE THAN 20 PER CENT OF THE

LEGISLATORS WOULD BE RETURNED BY THE END OF THE DAY.

FURTHERMORE, PROBLEMS WOULD ARISE IF MORE THAN 20 PER CENT OF THE LEGISLATORS HOLDING FOREIGN PASSPORTS WERE ELECTED.

DR LEONG ALSO SAID THAT FOR CONSTITUENCIES LIKE THE INDUSTRIAL, COMMERCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL ONES, IT WAS DOUBTFUL WHETHER A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF QUALITY PEOPLE COULD BE ATTRACTED TO JOIN THE ELECTIONS AS MANY OF THEM WERE HOLDING FOREIGN PASSPORTS OR RIGHT OF ABODE OVERSEAS.

HOWEVER, HE SAID THAT DISAPPOINTED AS WE WERE, WE SHOULD NOT GIVE WAY TO DESPAIR.

/"THE PROMULGATION