Beijing-loyalist Maria Tam says the right to be elected is not universal
Head of city's delegation to the NPC says central authorities may need to interpret Basic Law's provisions for universal suffrage
Veteran Basic Law Committee member Maria Tam Wai-chu yesterday weighed in on the debate over how universal suffrage should be implemented in 2017, saying an interpretation of the Basic Law by Beijing could be the last option.
Speaking on a television talk show, the head of the Hong Kong delegation to the National People's Congress dismissed a UN Human Rights Committee's report on Hong Kong. The report expressed concern at the "lack of a clear plan to institute universal suffrage" and possible limits on who can stand for election.
Tam said the UN's International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights indicated that the right to vote, not the right to nominate or be elected, was universal.
Tam's remarks, seen as controversial, came after Qiao Xiaoyang , chairman of the National People's Congress Law Committee, hinted at introducing a screening mechanism ahead of the chief executive election in 2017.
Qiao also said that, under the "one country, two systems" principle, a chief executive had to "love the country and love Hong Kong", and that Beijing would have the final say on who became the city's chief.
During the talk show, Tam was asked whether Beijing should interpret the Basic Law to decide how universal suffrage would be carried out.
She responded: "The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress is very busy, and they try their best not to interpret the Basic Law.