Differing views on Chief Executive and election process

A lot of people have been critical of Tung Chee-hwa's decision to seek a second term as Chief Executive.

They have blamed him for our economic woes and other so-called political blunders.

The fact that Hong Kong is closely tied to the world economy means it will have its share of problems when there is a world recession. What is comforting is that Hong Kong has weathered the storm much better than other countries in Southeast Asia. The Government has taken measures to tackle the problems we face. Some of these address long-term perspectives and involve structural changes that will enable the administration to balance the budget. Credit should go to Mr Tung for attempting to solve our problems, even though some of the measures he has adopted may not have been successful.

Politically, Mr Tung has handled matters as best as he could, given that Hong Kong is part of China and not a sovereign land.

Hong Kong continues to be a free society. There is freedom of speech and of the press.

Those of us who know about politics in some of the other Asian countries, know how fortunate Hong Kong is to have a leader who is honest, and who wants to do things for the good of Hong Kong.

SANTHANAM KRISHNAMACHARY

Taikoo Shing

Election Committee member Maria Tam Wai-chu believes universal suffrage is wrong because the Chief Executive 'will only be able to implement his policies at ease if he is trusted by the central authorities' (South China Morning Post, December 12).

Evidently the support of those governed is not an issue.

'It would be wrong to say any candidate put forward by Hong Kong will necessarily be accepted by Beijing,' said Ms Tam, also a deputy of the National People's Congress (NPC). Any candidate put forward by Beijing, however, is supposed to be accepted by Hong Kong? Ms Tam and some other speakers criticised those campaigning for speedier democracy as blind followers of Western thinking. Apparently no one has pointed out to her that Marxist-Leninist dogma also comes from the big bad 'West'.

Raymond Wu Wai-yung, also an NPC deputy, said: 'Mass politics is shallow and immature in Hong Kong. [People] are unable to elect the CE on their own, only through elites.' Good call, Dr Wu; that's because so few people have the right to vote.

Another NPC deputy, Lee Chark-tim, called on people to 'abandon Western concepts' and re-embrace the nation. Does he mean the free-market capitalism that's making China wealthy at last? Or does he mean the communism that is still holding it back?

Evidently, Hong Kong's NPC deputies don't have a lot of faith in the choices of Hong Kong's populace.

REUBEN M TUCK

Shek O