TNAG-2727-FCO40-3933-Hong-Kong-political-parties-Association-for-Democracy-and-Pe-1993 — Page 24

(1) The suggested proposals have more "democratic" hues the proposals put forth by the Association, whether for the direct election of Legco members or indirect election of Legco members through "electors" or even for the election of the Chief Executive of the SAR, will allow the 4 million eligible voters in Hongkong to vote using the formula of "one person one vote".

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(2) They are more in keeping with the equitable principles enshrined in the Bill of Rights: The Association advocates that for the 1995 Legco election, each voter should have the number of votes. Under the Governor's constitutional reform proposals, only two thirds of the voters in Hongkong (about 2.7 million people) have two votes (in functional constituencies and geographical constituencies). As to the remaining one million eligible voters, they only have the voting right of one vote which pertains to geographical constituencies. This constitutes a phenomenon of inequality which can be eliminated by

by the principle of "one person one vote" as recommended Association.

by the

(3) The abolition by stages of the functional constituency elections which create social polarizations and inequalities : Hongkong is a diversified society. Every constituency should be an entity which maintains a balance of the interests of the various strata. Hence, this will ensure to a certain extent that an elected councillor, when formulating policies, will not narrowly consider the interests of a particular stratum to the neglect of the overall interests of the society. The spirit of the present functional constituency elections is nothing but that of a election mechanism that lays stress on the sectarian interests of "small cliques", engenders a manifest partisanship in the legislative assembly, exacerbates the conflict of interests and class contradiction, thereby fostering the polarization of the forces of society which cannot be turned into a force of solidarity and an effective means of monitoring the administration of the government. The Association opines that the development of general election is the right direction for a democratic political system to take rather than the further development of functional constituency elections as advocated by the Governor's constitutional reform proposals. By allowing more voters to take part in this inequitable and undemocratic election system, they will place added difficulties for the future when functional constituency elections are to be replaced.

(4) The stipulation of the Election Committee that its members and the first Chief Executive should be chosen by democratic procedures: As to the four sectors which constitute the Election Committee, they should be defined by reference to the way whereby functional constituencies are defined. Four hundred members of the Election Committee are be elected by general election which will in turn elect 10 Legco members and the first Chief Executive. This way, the accountability and representation of the government can be strengthened.

(5) Straddling 1997 yet in conformation with the provisions of the Basic Law : In the "Proposals on the Speeding Up of Constitutional Democratisation" put forth by the Association, it has been clearly pointed out that constitutional democratisation