Tung Chee-hwa's resignation would not solve the problems the SAR was facing, two political leaders - and rivals - said yesterday.
Tsang Yok-sing, chairman of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong (DAB), said it was unfair to blame all the problems on Mr Tung, while Martin Lee Chu-ming, Democratic Party head, said the election system was to blame.
Mr Tsang said public anger, reflected in a recent string of protests and rallies, had not appeared overnight, but it was unfair to lay all the blame on Mr Tung. 'It's easy for people to personalise the Government - to say Tung Chee-hwa represents the Government. It's natural for people to direct and vent their dissatisfaction at him. But it's not the case that it will solve the problems before us if we were to ask the central Government to replace the Chief Executive,' he said.
Most of the problems exposed by the Asian financial turmoil had existed long before the establishment of the SAR, Mr Tsang said. He called for calm and said the public should look at matters from an objective point of view.
Mr Lee said that unless the Chief Executive was chosen by universal suffrage, any replacement for Mr Tung would result in the same public dissatisfaction.
'It is a small-circle election. The chief is picked by Beijing - a businessman who is only willing to listen to the business sector. What we're fighting for is not to replace the person but to change the system, a good and pro-democracy system would enhance accountability to the Legislative Council.' Mr Lee said many of the recent rallies were because there had not been enough consultation on the reforms being implemented. 'He still has two years to go in his term, I hope he can change and act according to people's will, otherwise it will only increase people's indignation.' Mr Tsang said the pace of reform should be slowed. 'It's not suitable for there to be too many reforms at a time when . . . public furore is relatively great. But we don't think all the reforms should slow down.' He declined to say whether his party would support Mr Tung for a second term.