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Ambrose Leung

'Thanks for the publicity,' say pro-democracy activists accused of 'fishing for political capital'

The big guns of the pro-Beijing camp have lashed out at the democrats for  'fishing for political capital' by rallying public support for tomorrow's march.

Beijing will not bow to pressure, they said, as the pro-democracy camp made final moves to mobilise people for the march, which begins in Victoria Park at 3pm.

Chan Wing-kee, a delegate to the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said people should not be incited to join the march and warned that opposing Beijing would not be good for Hong Kong.

'The vast majority of people support the reform proposal ... Everybody should trust the central government and not be incited to take to the streets.  This is not  good for us,' Mr Chan said. 'No matter how many people march, the government will not change its stance.'

He also accused 'some political parties' of 'fishing for political capital' by organising the march.

Tsang Hin-chi, a standing committee member of the National People's Congress, said the pro-democracy camp had become an 'anti-democracy' camp because of its stance against the  proposal.

'What can marching achieve? We have to rely on public wisdom. We have to consider the big picture,' he said.

Pro-Beijing tycoon Stanley Ho Hung-sun predicted fewer  than 50,000 people would take part  in tomorrow's march.

Meanwhile, protest organisers got a boost yesterday when Catholic Bishop Joseph Zen Ze-kiun  urged  the public to fight for their future.

Bishop Zen said he was prompted by a lack of commitment in remarks made by Qiao Xiaoyang , deputy secretary-general of the NPC standing committee, in Shenzhen. He expressed disappointment with Mr Qiao's comments, which effectively ruled out a timetable for universal suffrage.

Unionist legislator Lee Cheuk-yan said Hong Kong's democratic development had reached the  stage where people should take to the streets to voice demands for universal suffrage. 'We have to show Beijing our determination to fight for universal suffrage,' he said.

Welfare services legislator Fernando Cheung Chiu-hung  said: 'Those who don't want our fight for universal suffrage to be bound by the government constitutional reform package have to take part in the march.'

While declining to estimate the turnout, Mr Lee hoped it would be large enough to give the central government a surprise.

Pro-democracy lawmaker Emily Lau Wai-hing, said she believed that the televised speech by Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen on Wednesday and the forum in Shenzhen had helped mobilise more people to join the rally.

'I thank them for bringing the public focus on the issue.'

A public forum will be held at 1pm in Victoria Park before the  march. A prayer session attended by  Bishop Zen will also be held at 2.15pm at the basketball court.



Beijing wags the finger over march