The selection of the chief executive of the future Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) is like the theatre of the absurd. The process is shrouded in secrecy, with little transparency or accountability. Even members of the SAR Preparatory Committee (PC) have privately expressed concern and dismay.
The self-declared candidacy of lawyer and PC member Lo Tak-shing a few weeks ago failed to inject any excitement into the process.
The fact that local people wield little influence does not mean they are eager to accept the charade. There are signs of growing disquiet and restlessness, even among business people because they view the complete lack of checks and balances as ominous.
The way developments unfold - as engineered by the Chinese authorities and aided and abetted by the local news media - people are led to believe the selection is a three-horse race between two former and one current member of the Executive Council (Exco), the highest policymaking body. They are Mr Lo, Tung Chee-hwa and Chief Secretary Anson Chan Fang On-sang.
While all parties working for the communist United Front would want the public to believe that the 400-people Selection Committee, which is to be handpicked by the PC in October, would 'elect' the chief executive, they must realise few people expect any election to take place.
After all, it is general knowledge China would not allow the election to take place unless it already knew the result. Since things can go wrong even with 400 people, Beijing will not take any chances.
So much for the hooey of 'electing' the chief executive.
