Hong Kong's pan-democrats should set aside their self-interest and pass political reform plan

In a recent get-together with a veteran pan-democrat, I posed the million-dollar question: "What are the chances of pan-democrats changing their stance on political reform?" Pessimism was all I was able to elicit from my friend. Beijing officials' adamant stance on electoral reform, expressed in their latest meeting with pan-democrat lawmakers, has shattered any remaining fantasies the pan-democrats may have had about possible concessions from the central government.

The message is crystal clear: Beijing is not going to buckle at the eleventh hour, and it will take a hard-nosed attitude towards extremists in the pan-democratic camp.

According to the pan-democrat veteran, there are generally a few schools of thought within the pan-democratic camp, excluding those who support independence for Hong Kong and/or those who are unfalteringly opposed to the central government.

Firstly, there are those who personally prefer a more moderate approach, but unfortunately are bundled together with the radicals. While these pan-democrats may not find the electoral reform plan entirely satisfactory, they believe that a system based on "one person, one vote" for the 5 million eligible voters in Hong Kong is a big step forward from one based on a 1,200-person nominating committee.

Yet none of these pan-democrats is willing to be the first to indicate a change of stance, for fear that the finger of blame would be pointed in their direction, or they would become a target of attack by others in their own camp.

Then there are those who hold a grudge against the central government for its rejection of their proposal for electoral reform. To these embittered democrats, the battle is more personal.

Last, but not least, there are those who think that acting mischievously will not cost them a cent; on the contrary, they believe it will earn them political bargaining chips.