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General
CONFIDENTIAL
Weekly Information Report No. 280
Week Ending 2 December 1988
The Future
The most prominent items this week are Basic Law (14 WIRS), civil service pay rise (18 WIRS) and the Education Commission Report No. 3 (5 WIRS).
Basic Law
2.
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Views on Louis CHA's "mainstream model" remain divided. Many contacts, especially conservatives and businessmen support a gradual approach to political reform: those in Kowloon City saw the "realistic and pragmatic compromise" as a significant Chinese concession some argued that Hong Kong lacked the tradition and prerequisites necessary for universal suffrage; this had been clearly demonstrated by the low voter turnout at the District Board and Urban Council elections. Three office workers and two businessmen in Sham Shui Po supported the proposal
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it was conservative but the road to democracy should be a long one. The Chairman of the Lam Tin Kaifong Association felt the proposal was too conservative, but believed most people would accept it as they were more concerned about their economic well-being. Two respondents in Eastern and Kwun Tong opined that the proposal would eventually be adopted and written into the Basic Law as it was the model most favoured by China and it was China's attitude and consent, not public opinion, that really mattered.
3.
DO (Kwun Tong) reports that even "conservative" contacts found the proposal too conservative. Other respondents also found the time frame set by the "CHA model" too conservative and against the wishes of Hong Kong people. Some saw the referendum in 2012 as a delaying tactic to slow down democratic development. Contacts in Kwun Tong were particularly shocked that there would be no direct election of the Chief Executive before 2012. Sceptics in Kowloon City felt that by 2011 China
CONFIDENTIAL
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