CONFIDENTIAL
115777
MDLIAN 5314
ACCUSATIONS BY THE HONG KONG JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION THAT SHE WAS INTERFERING WITH PRESS FREEDOM AND TO A PROTEST BEING MOUNTED BY STUDENTS DURING THE EXCO MEETING ON 24 JULY:
(B) SHE SUBSEQUENTLY ACCUSED THE STUDENTS OF BEING POLITICALLY MOTIVATED AND CLAIMED, WITHOUT PRODUCING ANY EVIDENCE, THAT THE ALLEGATION OF A CONFLICT OF INTEREST HAD BEEN SPREAD BY HER POLITICAL OPPONENTS, WITH THE INTENTION OF PREVENTING HER FROM TAKING PART IN THE 1991 ELECTIONS.
5. AS A RESULT OF THIS EPISODE, THERE IS NOW CONSIDERABLE MEDIA INTEREST IN THE QUESTION OF POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AMONG EXCO AND LEGCO MEMBERS. WE ARE AWARE THAT EFFORTS ARE BEING MADE
TO IDENTIFY OTHER POSSIBLE CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AND TO DETERMINE WHETHER COUNCILLORS HAVE RECORDED THEIR INTERESTS ACCURATELY.
SIMILAR ALLEGATIONS MAY THEREFORE BE MADE ABOUT OTHER MEMBERS OF EXCO OR LEGCO. THIS IS ALSO LIKELY TO BE AN ISSUE THAT POTENTIAL CANDIDATES FOR ELECTION 1991, PARTICULARLY THOSE FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH. BUT MEMORIES CAN
BE SHORT IN HONG KONG. MUCH WILL DEPEND ON WHETHER OTHER MORE
IMMEDIATE LEGCO-RELATED ISSUES ARISE TO DIVERT THE MEDIA'S
ATTENTION.
6. MISS TAM'S OWN POLITICAL CAREER HAS UNDOUBTEDLY BEEN DAMAGED,
AT LEAST IN THE SHORT TERM. SHE WAS TO HAVE BEEN MADE VICE CONVENOR OF THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC FEDERATION, BUT THIS IDEA HAS NOW BEEN DROPPED AND SHE IS LIKELY TO BE QUITE LOW KEY IN THE
LOCAL POLITICAL SCENE. IT IS UNLIKELY THAT SHE WOULD HAVE STOOD FOR DIRECT ELECTION NEXT YEAR ANYWAY, EVEN THOUGH SHE HAS BEEN CAREFUL TO LEAVE HER OPTIONS OPEN PUBLICLY.
7.THE MAIN QUESTION IS WHETHER MISS TAM'S CREDIBILITY HAS BEEN
AFFECTED TO THE EXTENT THAT HER EFFECTIVENESS AS AN APPOINTED
MEMBER OF EXCO AND LEGCO HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED. IT IS
TOO EARLY TO MAKE THIS JUDGEMENT AND IN ANY CASE HER APPOINTMENTS
TO BOTH COUNCILS RUN UNTIL THE LATTER HALF OF 1991. BUT IT IS PROBABLY JUST AS WELL THAT SHE HAD ALREADY, EARLIER THIS YEAR, ANNOUNCED HER INTENTION TO STEP DOWN AS CHAIRMAN OF THE TAC WHEN
HER CURRENT TERM OF OFFICE EXPIRES IN APRIL 1991.
FORD
YYYY
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