TNAG-2449-FCO40-3565-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1992 — Page 119

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INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

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2ND IPT: LEGCO MOTION DEBATE: FINAL REPORT OF THE SELECT

COMMITTEE ON LEGCO ELECTIONS: FREDERICK FUNG'S AMENDMENT MOTION

SUMMARY

1 17 MEMBERS SPOKE ON FREDERICK FUNG'S AMENDMENT MOTION. SOME

HEATED EXCHANGES IN THE CHAMBER. THE AMENDMENT MOTION WAS DEFEATED BY 27 VOTES TO 21, WITH SEVEN ABSTENTIONS.

DETAIL

2. FREDERICK FUNG'S PROPOSED AMENDMENT SEEKS TO ADD THE FOLLOWING AFTER JIMMY MCGREGOR'S AMENDMENT MOTION (PARA 2 OF 1ST IPT):

'AND REQUESTS THAT THE FOLLOWING PROPOSALS BE INCLUDED IN CHAPTER

4 OF THE REPORT FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF THE GOVERNMENT IN ITS EXAMINATION OF THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE 1995 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ELECTIONS: IN VIEW OF THE EXISTING PRACTICES IN FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY ELECTIONS WHICH GIVE RISE TO UNFAIRNESS AND POSSIBLE VIOLATION OF THE BILL OF RIGHTS, AS MEMBERS OF THE ELECTORATE IN SUCH ELECTIONS ARE ALLOWED THE EXTRA OPPORTUNITY OF VOTING ONCE OR MORE THAN ONCE IN ADDITION TO VOTING IN DIRECT ELECTIONS AT THEIR GEOGRAPHICALLY CONSTITUENCIES, THIS COUNCIL THEREFORE URGES THE GOVERNMENT TO ESTABLISH AN INDEPENDENT COMMITTEE COMPRISING MEMBERS OF THE LEGAL SECTOR AND THE PUBLIC TO STUDY AND ENHANCE THE FAIRNESS OF FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY ELECTIONS AND TO EXAMINE WHETHER THERE IS ANY INCONSISTENCY WITH THE BILL OF RIGHTS.'

3. THE FC ELECTION SYSTEM WAS UNDER HEAVY ATTACK BY MEMBERS FROM THE LIBERAL CAMP WHO CRITICISED THE SYSTEM AS UNDEMOCRATIC, ELITIST, OPEN TO ABUSE, AND INCONSISTENT WITH THE BOR. (OUR LEGAL ADVICE DID NOT/NOT BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS ANY VIOLATION OF THE BOR.) MARTIN LEE ARGUED THAT THE FC SYSTEM SERVED ONLY TO PROTECT MINORITY INTEREST AND TO SUPPRESS PUBLIC WISHES. IT SHOULD THEREFORE BE ABOLISHED AND REPLACED BY MORE DIRECT ELECTIONS.

OTHER ARGUMENTS PUT FORTH WERE:

A. DOUBLE VOTING RIGHT OF FC ELECTORS (I.E. BEING ABLE TO VOTE AT

1

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