Hong Kong political reform vote: Carrie Lam tells pan-democrats to respect public opinion

Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor today urged pan-democrats to respect public opinion as she made a last-ditch effort to persuade them to support the government’s reform plan.

In her opening remarks in the Legislative Council debate on the government’s model for the 2017 chief executive proposal, Lam said: “Public opinion is clear. The majority of Hong Kong people would like to see their right to vote being put in place in 2017 so that there will be development of political reform, instead of a stalemate.”

“In my experience, in my visit to districts, I can feel in general the public has a strong desire to have one person one vote … This is a very strong public opinion,” said Lam, who led the government’s task force on political reform.

With all 27 pan-democrats and one pro-establishment lawmaker vowing to vote against the reform plan, Lam needs to win over at least five votes to secure the required two-thirds majority in the 70-member legislature.

She rebutted accusations from pan-democrats that the local government had misled Beijing on the views of the Hong Kong public earlier in the reform process.

And the chief secretary stressed the current administration would be “unable” to restart consultation on election reform before its term ends in 2017.