More than 100 prominent figures from the business sector have formed a united front to promote progress on political reform - the second alliance established by government allies in a month. Comprising Executive Council members, trade-based lawmakers and the second generation of the city's leading tycoons and magnates, Constitutional Reform Synergy yesterday denied that the group had been formed to defend controversial functional constituencies in the legislature. Stressing that it remained open-minded on the abolition of the trade-based seats, lawmaker Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen, representing the industrial sector, said the group's task was to promote progress of the electoral systems for the 2012 chief executive and Legislative Council elections. 'We should first make progress in 2012 before discussing arrangements for 2020, otherwise it is putting the cart before the horse.' Of the 11 lawmakers joining the group, all are from trade-based seats except Priscilla Leung Mei-fun. Four of the lawmakers represent the city's major business chambers. Those signing up as founders include Hopewell Holdings chairman Gordon Wu Ying-sheung; the chairman of Lan Kwai Fong Holdings and Ocean Park, Allan Zeman; film investor and head of Media Asia Peter Lam Kin-ngok; and Chinese Estates chairman Joseph Lau Luen-hung. The second generation of the city's tycoons and magnates are also on the list, among them Pansy Ho Chiu-king, daughter of casino king Stanley Ho Hung-sun; Lau Ming-wai, son of Joseph Lau; Ricky Tsang Chi-ming, youngest son of Beijing loyalist Tsang Hin-chi; and Kenneth Lau Ip-keung, son of Heung Yee Kuk chairman and executive councillor Lau Wong-fat. While some founders also belong to the Alliance for Constitutional Development led by executive councillor Cheng Yiu-tong, group member Jeffrey Lam Kin-fung said there was no conflict between the two. The alliance, which counts more than 100 tycoons, politicians and professionals among its members, was set up last month to reflect public consensus that the 2012 electoral systems should move forward. Meanwhile, pan-democrats have formed a new alliance to fight for universal suffrage. The alliance of more than 15 groups was formed at a meeting last night and includes the Democratic Party and Professional Teachers Union. Lee Cheuk-yan, of the Confederation of Trade Unions - another organiser - said the alliance's basic demands include the introduction of universal suffrage by 2012, or at least a clear pledge by Beijing to introduce genuine democracy in the 2017 chief executive and 2020 Legco elections. Last night, the Civic Party leadership finalised the details of a plan under which two of its lawmakers will resign with three from the League of Social Democrats on January 27 to force a de facto referendum on universal suffrage. Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Stephen Lam Sui-lung said yesterday Beijing's decision on the timetable for dual universal suffrage was serious and legally binding. He was responding to reports quoting former secretary for justice Elsie Leung Oi-sie as saying that Beijing had only 'allowed' rather than 'decided' that universal suffrage could be introduced in 2017 and 2020, respectively, for the chief executive and Legco elections.
