Political Animal
Mirror, mirror ... who shouts best of all?
Does practice makes perfect? Let's hope it does for Donald Tsang Yam-kuen. In his blog yesterday, the chief executive dismissed criticism from people who laughed at his street campaign with his ministers last week to hard-sell the government's constitutional reform proposal through the shouting of slogans. 'This is a new experience for me and my colleagues,' Tsang wrote. 'It does not matter whether we shouted in unison since it was the first time we shouted slogans. Shout a few more times, our confidence will increase. Then there would be improvements.' Good luck, Donald. Now we wonder how many times he will practise talking to himself in front of the mirror ahead of his televised debate with Civic Party leader Audrey Eu Yuet-mee on June 17.
Councillor urges more seats ... for councillors
While both the central and Hong Kong governments seem reluctant to change the constitutional reform package, Beijing loyalist Lam Tai-fai yesterday offered a concession which would compromise the interests of his fellow Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference delegates. The government package suggests increasing the number of Election Committee seats for the CPPCC from 41 to 51, meaning more delegates will have the right to vote in the 2012 chief executive election. Lam counter-proposed that these 51 seats should be designated for popularly elected district councillors instead. 'The CPPCC is formed by nomination of delegates after consultation. Like appointed district councillors, they are not elected by citizens,' he said, adding that it was his personal opinion and he did not know whether the 'grandfather' in Beijing would agree. Oh, one more point to note, Lam is also an appointed district councillor in Sha Tin.
Ronny Tong drops some 2012 hints
After all the open discord with his fellow Civic Party members over the 'de facto referendum' exercise, will Ronny Tong Ka-wah still run for another term on the Legislative Council in 2012? The barrister gave reporters some hints yesterday. 'The next legislative term is vital for the fight for genuine universal suffrage, because it will be the last chance to fix the arrangements for the next chief executive election in 2017 ... Now I am exploring whether there are good ways to fight for genuine universal suffrage without serving as a legislator. It will be good if I find the method.' New Territories East voters, do you understand?
Scooped on debate details
Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen might have yet to fulfil his election promise of 'go all out' and resolve the deadlock on democratisation, but on the upcoming televised debate have with Civic Party leader Audrey Eu Yuet-mee, he is doing just that. Four minutes before the Civic Party was due to start a press conference giving details about the debate, the Chief Executive's Office issued a statement which practically said everything the party had to say. So what's the feeling of being scooped? 'Well, such sincerity Donald is displaying,' a party politician sighed.
