Executive councillor and National People's Congress local deputy Cheng Yiu-tong has defended functional constituencies and suggested a 'one man, two votes' model for future Legco elections.
He said yesterday that functional constituencies could co-exist with the 'universal and equal' principle if every eligible voter was entitled to two votes, one for a geographical seat and another for a functional constituency.
Citing the accounting sector as an example, he said: 'If not only accountants but all staffers of accounting firms could elect their representative, why is it not possible?'
Mr Cheng added that functional constituencies could help balance the interests of different sectors in the community.
His remarks echoed those of executive councillor Tsang Yok-sing, who said on an RTHK programme last Saturday that 'one man, two votes' was one of the possible models for future Legco elections, while indirect election through district councils was another possibility.
The NPC Standing Committee left open the Legco election methods in its resolution on constitutional reform last Saturday.
