The government's 'Act Now' campaign to promote its electoral reform proposals has entered its second week. On Sunday, Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, with senior ministers and political assistants in tow, visited a number of districts throughout Hong Kong, in the hope of rallying support to push the city's electoral process forward.
Having learned from the experience of the first week, many officials have become better at street campaigning. The people they contacted applauded them for having the courage to face the public and opposition voices. The controversial constitutional reform proposals for 2012 have been submitted to the Legislative Council and face a vote on June 23.
After details of officials' Sunday activities were released to the media in advance, they attracted a series of rowdy protests from some radical political parties and the public along the route. Officials were heckled and shouted at. Tsang and Chief Secretary Henry Tang Ying-yen were surrounded by protesters and reporters, making it impossible for them to conduct the campaign.
Important elements in the spirit of democracy include the ability to support rational behaviour, use reason to convince others, and promote respect for others voicing their opinions. The voice of the opposition is already loud and clear. The result of the recent Legco by-elections showed that 500,000 Hongkongers oppose the reforms.
If we presume the remaining voters have an opinion on Hong Kong's political future, we need to give them a chance to air their views. Polls tell us that about half the population still support the government's reform package. So, it's only reasonable that the government should conduct its own campaign to make sure these voices are heard. But the opposition to the campaign in many segments of Hong Kong society shows that our deep-seated political and social conflicts are worsening.
The police said 113,000 people attended the commemoration on June 4, while organisers put the number at a reasonable 150,000. Political heavyweight Rita Fan Hsu Lai-tai, a deputy to the National People's Congress, criticised the police confiscation of two Goddess of Democracy statues, calling it a pointless political suppression that might have boosted the Victoria Park turnout.