Biggest study on Hong Kong political reform shows majority support passage of bill
The chances of public opinion persuading pan-democrats to swing behind the government's reform plan may seem slim, but the pro-establishment lawmaker behind the biggest poll so far will still give it a go.
James Tien Pei-chun commissioned a huge survey of more than 5,000 people last month, at a reported cost of HK$300,000.
He delivered the results of the exercise - conducted by University of Hong Kong researchers - yesterday, and intends to put the results to pan-democrats before the Legislative Council begins debating the government proposal tomorrow.
"I know they have said they would vote against the reform regardless of public opinion. I will still give it a try," said Tien, of the Liberal Party.
Some 51 per cent of those questioned said Legco should approve the government's model for the 2017 chief executive election, while 37 per cent wanted lawmakers to reject the proposal.
Asked for their personal views on the reform plan, 48 per cent expressed support and 38 per cent were against it.
And Tien said the reform proposal - based on a framework set by Beijing, under which a 1,200-strong nominating body would pick two or three candidates with majority support to face the public vote - was better than the alternative.
"If the reform is voted down, we will have to follow the existing electoral arrangements of having a 1,200-member election committee choose the chief executive. So, what the pan-democrats should weigh is whether having 1,200 people choose the chief executive is better than making five million people eligible to vote."
The results of the poll, taken between June 5 and Sunday, were released amid an escalation in the battle for public opinion.
More than 40 political and business leaders published an advertisement in a Chinese-language newspaper calling on lawmakers to pass the bill. The signatories included former financial services secretary Frederick Ma Si-hang, former Monetary Authority boss Joseph Yam Chi-kwong, MTR Corporation chairman Dr Raymond Chien Kuo-fung and former stock exchange chairman Ronald Arculli.
"All democratic systems in the world have evolved over time…we must move forward together with the political reform for the sake of our community. Standing still is not an option," they wrote.
Separately, Yam said passing the bill would boost Beijing's confidence in Hong Kong, benefitting the economy and the next generation of Hongkongers.
Meanwhile, some 1,900 people signed an online petition against the reform plan, initiated by 28 professionals and academics. They say the package would not represent "genuine universal suffrage" and could "erode Hong Kong's core values".
