Opposing camps cast doubt over moderate reform plan

A reform proposal aimed at the middle ground has been met with reservations from both the pro-establishment and pan-democratic camps after a group of economists submitted it to the government last week.

The 13 scholars yesterday elaborated on their proposal of using a "list system" to nominate the next chief executive in 2017.

"Our proposal encourages both camps to negotiate, seek the middle ground and come up with moderate candidates," said Chinese University economics professor Sung Yun-wing.

The National People's Congress Standing Committee is due to set out its framework for the election of Hong Kong's leader through universal suffrage.

In the scholars' proposal, they focused on making the nominating committee - which is required under the Basic Law - more democratically elected and less likely to oust candidates favoured by the pan-democrats.

Under the proposed "list system", those who want to run for the election would first have to be endorsed by 10 per cent of a 2,400-strong nominating committee, before going on to win 20 per cent of their vote.

Those who manage to do so - likely only about two to four people - would then form a list of candidates, which would have to be approved by at least 50 per cent of the committee before the candidates would be allowed to go on to the public vote.