When veteran Democrat Martin Lee Chu-ming was rolled out of the Legco chamber in a wheelchair after the chief executive's question-and-answer session, he looked very much like a casualty of the heavy war of words over democracy. While Mr Lee's injury was actually from twisting his left ankle at home, there was no denying the discussion yesterday was heated. Even Donald Tsang Yam-kuen warned his critics he was so 'inflamed' that he risked sudden death - an outcome he wanted to avoid, he said, since he wanted to see universal suffrage in his lifetime. But the opposition gave him no quarter, taking the offensive over his policy address. 'You cannot even tackle any of the challenges of governance you mentioned in your policy speech because you lack a mandate,' Democrat Yeung Sum said. 'Without universal suffrage, you have no mandate.' Emily Lau Wai-hing, of The Frontier, attacked Mr Tsang for relying on the Commission on Strategic Development - which came up with preliminary views, including a pre-screening mechanism by Beijing over chief executive candidates - in mapping the way forward for universal suffrage. 'Please stop lying to the people,' she shouted. In response to his critics, Mr Tsang said both he and the central government wanted Hong Kong to be more democratic, but universal suffrage was not a panacea. 'Do you think there will be peace on Earth when there is universal suffrage? I am confident that I'll see universal suffrage in my lifetime. The most important thing is that I should exercise every day to make sure I won't drop dead from other people's provocation.' SEEKING ANSWERS On urging people to report wage abuses Q Lee Cheuk-yuan [Confederation of Trade Unions]: 'Is it the siege in Taiwan or the Cultural Revolution, with people condemning each other? Are you Mao Zedong or Shih Ming-tech?' A Donald Tsang: 'Don't use such ugly words. What's wrong with asking people to report? Even if you have a law, you still need people to report malpractices. Right?' On universal suffrage Kwok Ka-ki (medical sector): 'Some salesmen sell genuine goods with prices shown and some sell goods different from the one displayed ... You have promised there will be universal suffrage in your lifetime. I hope you stick to your pledge' Mr Tsang: 'I am confident that I'll see universal suffrage in my lifetime ... I should exercise every day so I won't drop dead from other people's provocation' Emily Lau Wai-hing (The Frontier): 'What we want is one person, one vote. I hope the chief executive will not complicate simple things' Mr Tsang:' You can't just say we want 'one person, one vote' and you tackle the rest. That?s impossible' On governance style Margaret Ng Ngoi-yee (Civic Party): 'Are you confident that you will be able to change your style and stop treating people like enemies? ' Mr Tsang: 'It's important that we people in public affairs know how to compromise. I also hope you will not treat our proposals as enemies '
