Lawmaker warns repeat of resignation strategy could backfire
Civic Party leader says repeat of tactic would need to be considered to hold public support
A lawmaker who resigned to trigger a city-wide vote during the 2010 electoral reform debate has acknowledged the pan-democrats could face the cold shoulder if they do it again.
Civic Party leader Alan Leong Kah-kit was commenting on the push by radical factions to revive the strategy in pushing for universal suffrage for the 2017 chief executive election.
Leong, one of five directly elected lawmakers who quit in 2010 to trigger by-elections, said some issues needed to be resolved before trying it again.
"The Civic Party is open for any action constructive to electoral reform, which I think is a battle [with the government] in gaining popular support," he said at a media gathering yesterday. "Therefore, key issues related to a de facto referendum should be cleared before we make a decision. What should we do if the public is lukewarm towards the vote? What are the yardsticks in quantifying popular support?"
He added that the party would meet student-led group Scholarism, a main advocate of the resignation strategy, today.
At the centre of the pan-democrats' push is the Occupy Central movement, which is expected to take place late this year.
Leong called for the pan-democrats to plan and agree on a six-month agenda to build momentum for the movement.
"It is, so far, a blank period," he said. "There should be a uniform campaign plan, which would eventually lead up to the Occupy Central movement."
