Were I to have marked the Stanford University master's thesis of former security chief Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, I would have awarded her a D - for disingenuity. It begs the question of how excerpts of it came to be published in this newspaper as evidence of her born-again democratic tendencies.
First, her paper repeats, virtually verbatim, the indefensible reasons presented by former chief executive Tung Chee-hwa for delaying universal suffrage: 1) development in the light of the actual situation, and 2) gradual and orderly progress (Communist Party code for 'major delay').
Second, the thesis repeatedly suggests that greater democracy will come from the increased participation of elites, defined by Mrs Ip as 'the captains of industry and commerce, the self-made entrepreneurs and respected professionals'. Aren't these people already involved behind closed doors in continuing their privileged status by, among other activities, constituting the closed-circle, Beijing-anointed election committee responsible for such blunders as Mr Tung and Donald Tsang Yam-kuen?
Mrs Ip's thesis, and the drivel it contains, are nothing more than a surprisingly articulate (for her) blueprint for the continued delay of full democracy. She should again hang her head in shame. Once again, the people of Hong Kong are not so easily fooled. Her mentors and advisers should do a quick rethink on this one. She has no future political career in Hong Kong. Perhaps she should go and peddle her version of democracy north of the border.
SEAN LEONARD, Asian Institute of International Financial Law, University of Hong Kong
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