Democrats rule out joining administration
The Democratic Party will not join the ruling coalition nor accept appointments to the Executive Council despite its support for a revised political reform package.
Party chairman Albert Ho Chun-yan said yesterday that the party would strive to build a constructive working relationship with the government in the future but would be a 'credible opposition'.
The statement comes amid the conciliatory note struck by the Democrats and the administration on electoral reform and speculation about the party's future ties with the government. The government and the Democrats have both endorsed a 'one person, two votes' proposal, which would allow the public a vote on five new seats in the Legislative Council's district council functional constituency in the 2012 election. On Monday, Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen praised the Democratic Party, saying its sincerity and commitment deserved the public's full support and recognition.
Ho said the party would not oppose every policy initiative put forward by the administration and had an issue-oriented approach.
But Ho insisted the party would not join the ruling coalition. 'Under my leadership, we won't accept any offer to join the Executive Council,' he said.
Dr Chan Kin-man, an associate professor of sociology at Chinese University, said it would be political suicide for the Democratic Party to join the ruling coalition in the near future.
