Does Hong Kong need electoral system reform?

The problems confronting Hong Kong today are complicated. The working class demand better welfare, in particular housing and working conditions. The upper class argue that the British colonial laissez-faire policy should be kept. Property developers and owners do not like the government to build more public housing, fearing it will exert downward pressure on property prices and inevitably erode their interests.

Hong Kong has also been a safe haven for China's political dissidents, home even today to those with different political ideologies. Many are fearful of Beijing's interference in Hong Kong's governance. Western China-watchers and liberal advocates champion the cause of full democracy. Young people, mostly students, are earnest, vocal protesters in marches. Many newspapers attack the government with sensational reports. The scene seems chaotic, especially from far away.

Although the commercial and social infrastructure left behind by the British was intact and working, the political set-up has been revamped to create a unique structure. Under the new system, the chief executive is elected by an Election Committee comprising 1,200 members. Cabinet ministers are appointed by the chief executive, not elected. They have to seek support and approval from the 70-member Legislative Council, made up of 35 members from functional constituencies and 35 from geographical constituencies.

A distinct feature is that there is no ruling party. The chief executive is not affiliated to any political party. A former chief executive once said that " when I was giving a speech in the chamber, looking down from the rostrum, I could hardly find a single member who would support me, irrespective of whether they are pro- or anti- establishment". Political parties need votes to survive and so adopt populist gestures. Small parties have to be vocal to attract attention. This has made it difficult for the government to implement its policies. There is some truth in attributing the political chaos to the electoral system.

Following two direct elections in 1991 and 1995, in which pro-democracy politicians won most of the seats contested, Beijing replaced the legislature with a Provisional Legislative Council after the handover. Perhaps fearing that the pro-democracy politicians might capture most of the seats again, the council voted to change the first-past-the-post electoral system to the proportional-representation system in September 1997.

Hong Kong's system of "proportional representation with the largest remainder method" clearly favours parties and independent candidates with fewer votes. In the 2008 Legco election, a controversial League of Social Democrats candidate won a seat with only 8.1 per cent of the total votes cast in his constituency. Eight candidates won their seats with less than 8 per cent of votes in the 2012 election.