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Tammy Tam
SCMP Columnist
City Beat
by Tammy Tam
City Beat
by Tammy Tam

Hong Kong's young 'Davids' can learn from Aung San Suu Kyi the value of an open mind

Election victors must keep an open mind and learn that bargaining is not a dirty word

When people talk about how young "Davids" beat their political "Goliaths" in the district council elections, it is noted that radicalism didn't sell this time.

Younger candidates, including "umbrella soldiers", won not merely because of ideology but their commitment to district work. This reminds me of the change in Myanmar early this month.

"The Lady" Aung San Suu Kyi proudly proclaimed the landslide victory of her National League for Democracy (NLD) in the country's first nationwide democratic elections.

From political prisoner once under house arrest for 15 years to being "above the president", Suu Kyi has no doubt won her decades-long battle to end military rule, though many raised an eyebrow at her claim to be "above" the president.

This column wrote about her meeting President Xi Jinping in June. It was believed that one major consideration for China in inviting Suu Kyi, an icon of democracy with a different ideology - and in Suu Kyi accepted the invitation - was because both anticipated her party's possible victory.

Some in town were already asking what Hong Kong's pan-democrats could learn from her political pragmatism.

When Hongkongers saw with amazement, even envy, the "change of sky" in Myanmar, the district council elections provided food for thought.

Some believed Suu Kyi made her dream come true by "pocketing" the election first, as the constitution bars her from running for the presidency due to her late husband and sons' foreign nationality.

In Hong Kong the government's 2017 universal suffrage proposal was blocked in Legco by the pan-democrats, who condemned it as fake democracy. There is no use crying over spilled milk as nothing can change the fact that one person, one vote is impossible in 2017. But making good use of what we already have can still make a difference.

When I went to Myanmar four years ago to cover the country's reform, it impressed me a lot to learn that over 30 per cent of the population was aged 15 to 24. Suu Kyi has now brought hope for this young generation. But even with a strong mandate from her people, she knows well she must deal with the military in her policymaking through negotiation and bargaining.

Back to Hong Kong, a new term caught on to describe these young candidates: "amateur politicians". It was borrowed from Taiwan, where it was used to refer to Dr Ko Wen-je, a former physician without any political experience who was elected Taipei's mayor last year.

It's a bit confusing to see some of these young newly elected initially showing a down-to-earth manner but then turning reluctant on whether they would accept Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying's invitation to join the government's hundreds of advisory bodies.

Leung said his administration welcomed young talent, both the winners and losers, based on merit rather than political views.

Naturally there are those who are sceptical about Leung's intention, but some, including certain "umbrella soldiers", were open enough at first to say they would consider any possibility, because joining an advisory body doesn't necessarily involve changing one's political beliefs. But some have since said that now is not the right time.

Winning an election is but the first step for these "amateur politicians" on their long journey. Being politically prudent is necessary, but compromise and bargaining are inevitable - so stay firm, yet stay open.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Suu Kyi can teach our young 'Davids' value of compromise
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