NPC local deputy proposes 'one man, two votes'
Executive councillor and National People's Congress local deputy Cheng Yiu-tong has defended functional constituencies and suggested a 'one man, two votes' model for future Legco elections.
He said yesterday that functional constituencies could co-exist with the 'universal and equal' principle if every eligible voter was entitled to two votes, one for a geographical seat and another for a functional constituency.
Citing the accounting sector as an example, he said: 'If not only accountants but all staffers of accounting firms could elect their representative, why is it not possible?'
Mr Cheng added that functional constituencies could help balance the interests of different sectors in the community.
His remarks echoed those of executive councillor Tsang Yok-sing, who said on an RTHK programme last Saturday that 'one man, two votes' was one of the possible models for future Legco elections, while indirect election through district councils was another possibility.
The NPC Standing Committee left open the Legco election methods in its resolution on constitutional reform last Saturday.
But its deputy secretary general, Qiao Xiaoyang, said after the release of the decision that functional constituencies had an important role to play in maintaining stability.
Mr Cheng said: 'At the beginning not all NPC Standing Committee members agreed with the proposal. It was only after intense lobbying and debate that we have this result.'
He called on pan-democrats to be pragmatic and for them to concentrate on preparing for universal suffrage for the chief executive in 2017 and all Legco seats in 2020.
