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.