Developing | Hong Kong lawmakers feel hand of history as they join discussion on plan for universal suffrage

The first lawmakers have had their say ahead of a crunch vote later this week in the Legislative Council on Hong Kong’s political reform and the model for the 2017 chief executive election.

And both opponents and supporters of the reform plan stressed the historic nature of the discussion, which could lead to the city’s leader being elected by popular vote for the first time – albeit in a framework some condemn as highly restrictive.

Dennis Kwok, Civic Party – one of the few to speak in English

The nominating committee is an exact replica of the current election committee which doesn’t survive the need for a “broadly representative” committee under Article 45 of Basic Law and is obviously biased to small-circle elites. … The nominating committee [is] a screening mechanism to vet candidates deemed unacceptable to Beijing. It is a blatant attempt to retain the power of small-circle elites and allow them to have the ultimate say in the election. …By voting to reject the proposal, we send a strong signal to this administration, the central government, the world and to ourself as Hong Kong citizens that we must get back to the right track of “one country, two systems”.

Albert Ho Chun-yan, Democratic Party