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Loyalist parties stick by 2012 reform agenda

Two Beijing-friendly political parties say they will continue preparations for 2012 electoral reform, despite a remark by central government liaison office deputy director Li Gang that the economy, not politics, should be the city's priority.

Ip Kwok-him, of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, said his party had started preliminary discussions on the constitutional reform package and would come up with a proposal after the government released its consultation paper later this year.

'There is no problem with discussing the issue now,' said Mr Ip, who is also a local member of the National People's Congress. 'Of course the direction will be clearer when the consultation paper is available.

'But it does not mean we should not touch on the matter. Our party has been discussing it for some time.'

The Liberal Party, another government ally, also said it was not too early to talk about political reform.

'The government is set to launch a consultation in the coming few months. I think people can start the discussion beforehand,' said vice-chairman Tommy Cheung Yu-yan, adding that his party had been carrying out research on constitutional reform for a long time. Mr Li said on Saturday that people 'should first unite to spur Hong Kong's economic development'.

When asked to comment on the Democratic Party's call for the chief executive to dissolve Legco if the coming constitutional package is vetoed, he said: 'It is not the time to discuss this matter.'

Rita Fan Hsu Lai-tai, a local deputy to the NPC Standing Committee and former Legco president, said yesterday it was unclear whether the chief executive could invoke Article 50 of the Basic Law to dissolve the legislature in such a situation.

The clause states the chief executive may do so if Legco refuses to pass a budget or 'any other important bill introduced by the government'.

'The government and the Legco do not have consensus over the definition of an 'important bill' yet, except it is agreed that the budget is an important bill,' she said.

She agreed with Mr Li that it was not the best time to discuss the political reform. 'Frankly, I don't know what the constitutional reform proposal is. Why don't we wait until [the government] announces it? Then citizens can give responses and we can discuss it. Everyone has the right to voice what he believes, as Hong Kong has free speech. But citizens may hold different views.'

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