Restarting political reform process not priority for Hong Kong chief executive hopeful Carrie Lam
Former chief secretary, who led failed 2015 bid, said suitable social atmosphere was necessary before relaunching controversial reform process
Chief executive contender Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor has dropped a strong hint that relaunching political reform to achieve a popular ballot for Hong Kong’s leader will not be her priority in the next five years.
Speaking at a media briefing after meeting the Democratic Party on Thursday night, Lam said a suitable social atmosphere was necessary before launching the controversial reform process.
“In deciding whether to relaunch the constitutional development [process], the administration must consider whether the criteria and atmosphere are present,” Lam said.
“Otherwise, we will draw Hong Kong into another series of divisions, and this is not favourable for the city’s development … There are a lot of economic matters for the government to tackle.”
As the city’s chief secretary, Lam spearheaded the government’s effort to introduce universal suffrage for the election of the chief executive. But the reform process triggered the 79-day Occupy protests in 2014 and the Legislative Council voted down a Beijing-decreed reform package in the following year.