Avoiding by-election farce
I'm glad to hear the government plans to scrap by-elections and fill mid-term vacancies in the Legislative Council by installing the next best-placed candidate. This should prevent unnecessary resignations by lawmakers.
Last year, five lawmakers resigned to trigger by-elections to strive for political reform. They attracted a lot of public attention, and all five were voted back into Legco.
Were their actions necessary? I think they were a waste of time and money, given the outcome. The new system means lawmakers can focus on serving citizens actively, instead of 'making a point'.
The plan is, of course, not perfect. For example, I don't think the seat of a lawmaker who dies should be taken by anyone else without an election. A party shouldn't lose out because a member passed away. Their seat is worthy of a by-election.
The plan is not yet perfect, but we should be grateful that the government has worked on a meaningful and effective measure.
Jasun Lam Cheuk-hin, Po Leung Kuk Centenary Li Shiu Chung Memorial College
From the Editor
Thank you for your letter, Jasun. In some countries, when the government does not listen to the public, the people riot, or worse. Take what happened in Egypt and Tunisia as prime examples.
People in Hong Kong have no direct voice in the government. The lawmakers' resignation was a way to give voters some say. If people disapproved, they could have refused to return the lawmakers to office. But they did not.
Just because something does not bring immediate results does not mean it is a waste of time or money. If the mass resignations played a part in this new system, it was definitely worth it. Politics, like life, is a process, a journey - not a destination.
Susan, Editor
