TNAG-2735-FCO40-3943-Hong-Kong-role-of-the-Legislative-Council-(LEGCO)-1993 — Page 174

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176056, MDLIA $374

THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT A REFERENDUM WOULD BE POLITICALLY DIVISIVE. IN ANY PLURALISTIC SOCIETY, IT WAS ONLY NORMAL FOR PEOPLE TO HOLD DIFFERENT VIEWS ON A CERTAIN ISSUE: AND

A NUMBER OF INDEPENDENT OPINION SURVEYS HAD SHOWED THAT THE PUBLIC WAS IN FAVOUR OF USING REFERENDUM TO RESOLVE THE CURRENT DISPUTE.

4. OPPONENTS OF THE MOTION, LED BY THE LIBERAL PARTY (FORMERLY CRC), ARGUED THAT:

A REFERENDUM WOULD BE DIVISIVE AND COULD LEAD TO POLITICAL CONFLICTS:

THE MOTION SUGGESTED THAT LEGCO MEMBERS HAD LITTLE IDEA OF PUBLIC VIEWS, AND THAT THEY WERE NOT TRULY REPRESENTATIVE OF THE

nch! COMMUNITY:

THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, LEGCO HAD DECIDED ON MANY ISSUES WITHOUT HAVING TO RECOURSE TO A REFERENDUM:

ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR 1994/95 WAS A VERY COMPLEX SUBJECT, UNSUITABLE TO BE PUT TO A REFERENDUM:

PUBLIC OPINIONS IN HONG KONG HAD ALWAYS BEEN VOLATILE AND VULNERABLE TO MANIPULATION, AND SO THE CREDIBILITY OF A REFERENDUM MUST BE QUESTIONABLE: AND

LEGCO MUST SHOULDER RESPONSIBILITY AND NOT TRY TO PASS THE BUCK TO THE PUBLIC.

5.

MEETING POINT OPPOSED THE MOTION ON THE GROUND THAT REFERENDUM WAS NOT ALWAYS THE BEST WAY TO MAKE DECISIONS ON PUBLIC POLICIES, AND THAT SINCE THE REFERENDUM ENVISAGED BY UDHK WAS ONLY TO BE ADVISORY, THE REFERENDUM WOULD AMOUNT TO NO MORE THAN A VERY COSTLY WAY TO COLLECT PUBLIC VIEWS. THEY ALSO EXPRESSED CONCERN AT THE IMPLICATIONS FOR THE FUTURE ROLE OF THE LEGISLATURE.

6.

FREDRICK FUNG ABSTAINED ON THE GROUND THAT IF THE REFERENDUM HAD NO BINDING EFFECT, THE PUBLIC WOULD HAVE LITTLE INTEREST IN IT. ALSO, PUBLIC VIEWS ON THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS WERE ALREADY WELL EXPRESSED. PANG CHUN-HOI ABSTAINED ON THE GROUND THAT HONG

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