TNAG-1726-FCO40-2439-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 162

that according to

newspapers we disclosed zobra

m

best

the public opinion findings the most controversial. that Légcs

the Refislative Council topic, timing for direct election to Lego

A

surpringly

pria

66 per cent of the respondents, endorsed the White Paper's provisions. I believe that no one will criticise

have

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in reflecting residents' degree of acceptance of the

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that the two newspapers concerned tried to manipulate

public opinion. I also trust that the survey company

has done its best to stick to its objectivity and professional

spirit and, therefore, the findings of this opinion poll

White Paper should be beyond doubt.

1.3

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tip 15 [3

This is completely different from

the wild guesses by a certain consultant from Britain.

We see it i

15[T The fact is, no matter from which angle that we music opinion is sharply

that

16 admit after the publication of the Green Paper

of the hapi hati Es sweetie cont

divided

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the question,of, when direct election to Legeo should

be introduced, public opinion was sharply dividedr

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I emphasise the word 'sharply', for it is because publie of

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this

opinion was really sharply divided that Government has made such

had a good reason to make the decision in the White

Paper. We should remember that Government has the

major responsibility to maintain smooth social development.

Any problem that may lead to social disorganisation

must be tackled with very great caution.

the elections

人

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We talk about political, reforms,

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is now faced with nowadays, not because Hong Kong has now been faced

with a rotten Administration,great problems of making

there is a livelihood, and a need for an instant revolution

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to rescue residents from a desperate situation.

reality is just the opposite. If we can still remember, Gust a few years' ago) the most popular phrase was

The

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'To remain unchanged for 50 years.' That mentality

35 shows that basically our residents are satisfied with

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their present life-style and the evolutionary political.system.