TNAG-1717-FCO40-2397-Hong-Kong-1987-Review-of-Representative-Government-1988 — Page 112

SECRET

Direct Elections to the Legislative Council

Public Response to the Green Paper

response.

Of all the questions raised in the Green Paper, the subject of direct elections to the Legislative Council produced by far the greatest public

The Survey Office received

received 124,228 submissions on the matter from individuals and groups of individuals, representing the

the views of 137,217 people in all. More than half of the submissions from individuals came in the form of a variety of pre-printed standard letters. It also received 605 submissions from associations and other bodies. 164 public opinion surveys of various sorts addressed the issue, and 21 signature campaigns collected over 200,000 signatures. The Legislative Council debated the subject and the Municipal Councils and all District Boards discussed it.

2.

The bulk of the views expressed

expressed favoured introducing directly elected Members into the Legislative Council. Even allowing for the fact that many people did not express any views, it is plain that there is a strong trend in public opinion in favour of developing the present system to include a directly elected element at the central level of government and doing so well before 1997.

3.

On the question of whether a directly

a directly elected element should be introduced in 1988 opinion was, however, sharply divided. Those who favoured introduction in 1988 argued that direct elections were important for the development of more open, accountable and representative government and should therefore be introduced as early as possible. Those against argued that introduction in 1988 was too soon either because it could endanger stability and continuity, coming within three years of the last major reorganization, or because the system of elections to be used after 1997 had not yet been established in the Basic Law due to be promulgated in 1990.

4.

Among submissions to the Survey Office from individuals, groups and associations, more were against than in favour of the introduction of direct elections in 1988. The two public opinion surveys commissioned Other by the Survey Office produced a similar result. public opinion surveys and signature campaigns were generally in favour

1988. of direct elections in