I am writing in response to “ No public consultation exercise for Hong Kong proposal to allow voting in mainland China, sources say ” (October 25). In recent days, the Hong Kong government has spoken of plans to expand Legislative Council voting for Hongkongers living on the mainland. However, the government plans to do away with public consultation and will instead unveil proposals to achieve this. As a Hong Kong resident, I hold a firm belief that the government should not allow voting in the mainland for elections to the city legislature. This approach is ostensibly aimed at helping Hong Kong people on the mainland to exercise their voting rights, especially under travel restrictions such as those caused by the coronavirus pandemic. However, any amendment to the electoral laws would be a permanent measure. The government should not just consider the convenience of those across the border while ignoring the long-term effects brought about by this adjustment. It should examine all the details exhaustively, and not skip the public consultation either. Expanding voting rights for Hong Kong people on the mainland without engaging the public here may even trigger another round of political turmoil. As the proposed amendment law is significant for our electoral system, Hong Kong people may think their voices are not being respected by the government. If the government wilfully persists with the proposal, public distrust will deepen. I think the government should learn from the mistakes of last year’s political turmoil. Otherwise, another massive anti-government protest could happen again and be even more tumultuous than last year’s. Chief Executive #CarrieLam says it would be unreasonable to deny #HongKongPermanentResidents living on the Mainland the chance to vote in the city’s elections https://t.co/4gwsc2e55a — Hong Kong Govt News (@newsgovhk) October 20, 2020 To conclude, whether Hong Kong’s electoral laws are changed or not, at least the government should not skip the public consultation. I wish the government would take into account the long-term impacts of such an amendment without letting people voice their opinion, especially the erosion of public trust and confidence. Sheryl Cheung, Kwai Chung