HERE is the full text of legislator Lau Chin-shek's resignation letter to the Governor, Chris Patten. Dear Governor, I regret to notify you that I have decided to tender my resignation from the Legislative Council. My dispute with the government under your leadership is now a matter of public knowledge. Let me not repeat the story here. Suffice it to say that I bear no personal grudge against you or the officials concerned. We have different masters to serve. I understand your primary concern is the preservation of the power and authority of a colonial regime. No challenge must be allowed to be levelled at an executive-led administration. Accordingly, what happened at the Legislative Council on the fateful day and the subsequent responses of the officials seem almost inevitable. As for me, my 'master' is the people of Hong Kong who voted me into office. Admittedly the concept of the sovereignty of the vote is relatively new in Hong Kong, let alone in China. It is therefore precisely for this reason that I treasure all the more my elected seat at the Legco. I would not lopermit it to be scorned and trampled upon. This then is why I have chosen to resign. My political aspiration, indeed, the aspiration of my whole being, is to see, one day, colonial and totalitarian regimes here in Hong Kong and China bow before the will of the people. I believe this accords with your own political conviction. But since the Government has promised to submit the new Employment Ordinance (Amendment) Bill to Legco next month, I feel I have the responsibility to finish this work before I leave. Therefore, I will resign with effect from the next day after the disposal of the bill (regardless of whether it is passed or not). Lastly, I would like to point out that never ending compromises hinder progress. I make this final decision in the hope that my persistence will bring about a collective reflection and add a new dimension to the political culture of Hong Kong. May God have mercy on us and on the city of Hong Kong. Yours sincerely, Lau Chin-shek