Giving Tung Chee-hwa too much flexibility in deciding the date to select the next chief executive would trigger accusations of favouritism, legislators warned yesterday.
The proposed Chief Executive Election Bill suggests the chief executive fix a date within six months of the end of his term in June next year.
Secretary for Constitutional Affairs Michael Suen Ming-yeung said the proposal was intended to provide the chief executive flexibility.
'We also have to take into account the different situations of each election. For example, more time may be needed for setting up a new government if we are to elect a new chief executive rather than voting on an incumbent,' he said.
Mr Suen said it would be impractical to fix an exact date for the selection as the chief executive post might be vacated at anytime.
Emily Lau Wai-hing, of The Frontier, said the public might challenge the date, whenever it was. 'People will criticise the chief executive for having chosen a date in favour of himself . . . If Mr Suen says the date depends on different situations for each election, it sounds like the bill is tailor-made for Mr Tung.
