TNAG-2450-FCO40-3567-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-1992 — Page 226

SECRET 高度機密

Why not keep two option

a little longer,

1

give

people something to talk about?

why settle in LegG speech

Voting System (Paper No. 4/92)

5.

2

M

Are the UDHIC opposed,

to PR? Worth discuring with Mikee?

M

The Governor said that he favoured a single-seat

single-vote

a

(SSSV) system. It would be difficult to defend

radical change of the present system to one of proportional representation (PR); people would interpret it

as an attempt to counter the sort of results produced by the 1991 election (i.e. a liberal majority). Furthermore, representation of the interests of the minority are already catered for in the functional constituencies (FCs). Aq.

SCA argued that

SSSV system did not really fit in with

HK's overall political system; indeed, FCS represented

sectoral economic/social interest rather than minority

political views. A PR system would produce much more

of allocation of seats and

proportional results in terms would also be perceived as fair.

The Governor said that while one could argue the

proportionality point if we were to start from a clean slate, it would be politically difficult to justify a

radical change at only the second round of direct elections

to LegCo.

SHA pointed out that a PR system would be too

complex for the general public to understand and, if

adopted, might cause the public to suspect that

Government's motive was to sway the outcome of the

elections. UK Rep said that looking ahead we would find it

difficult to change from a SSSV system to PR system at a point when LegCo was to become fully directly elected, or

remove the FCs which would then be needed for balanced

representation purpose.

to

G.F. 316

SECRET 高度機密