PERHAPS IT IS just coincidence that the Government has written the rules for next year's Chief Executive contest in a way that greatly increases the chances of Tung Chee-hwa being re-elected unopposed.
The administration denies that its bill setting out rules for the 2002 election, tabled in the Legislative Council last week, has been tailor-made for Mr Tung.
But if it is a coincidence, then it is certainly a fortuitous one - and not just for Mr Tung, but for the whole Government. For, after making it so much more difficult for anyone to stand against him, the civil service may now be able to avoid the difficult question of how to preserve its supposed neutrality if a serving Chief Executive faces a contested election for the post.
This is a problem which is far less likely to arise as a result of the bill's controversial provision that all candidates must be nominated by 100 members of the 800-strong Election Committee - whose names, and hence opposition to Mr Tung serving a second term, will then be made public.
The Government denies this publicity is designed to deter electors from nominating anyone to stand against Mr Tung. And it is true the names of nominees are not normally kept secret in Legco and other elections - although the administration, citing the importance of the Chief Executive contest, plans to give them greater publicity than is the case in such polls.
But the end result is obvious. It will be almost impossible to find 100 members of the predominantly Beijing-friendly committee prepared publicly to put their names to any rival contender, especially after Beijing has made clear its support for Mr Tung serving a second term.
