The Fifth Report

The Fourth Report of the Constitutional Development Task Force
Regional Forum (New Territories West)
(5 March 2005)

Discussion Summaries of Group 2
Group Facilitator: Mr TSANG Kee-kung

(Translation)

Method for Selecting the Chief Executive

The Number of Members of the Election Committee

• Participants suggested expanding the Election Committee to 1 200 members to enhance its representativeness and to avoid it being criticized as a "small-circle election".
  
  

• A participant considered that the number of Election Committee members was not important; the selection criteria was the most important.

The Composition of the Election Committee

• Participants were of the view that the public mandate of the Election Committee should be enhanced to achieve the ultimate aim of universal suffrage.
  
  

• Some participants were of the view that apart from Legislative Council Members and District Council members, representatives of mutual aid committees and owners' corporations could also be included. However, participants proposed to include only some (say 30%), but not all, of the elected District Council members.
  
  

• Many participants proposed to have more representatives from the middle-class.
  
  

• A participant suggested reviewing the number of members of each subsector.

The Number of Members Required for Nominating Candidates

• Participants thought that the current requirement of 100 subscribers was sufficient if the size of the Election Committee remained unchanged. If the Election Committee were expanded to 1 200 members, the number of subscribers required should be increased accordingly. They suggested maintaining the ratio of one-eighth.
  
  

• A participant considered that it was not necessary to require a candidate to secure cross-sector support.
  
  

• Participants agreed to set an upper limit on the number of subscribers so that more candidates could run for the election. They suggested that the limit be one-fourth of the total membership of the Election Committee.

The Delineation and Size of the Electorate of the Election Committee

• Participants supported expanding the size of the electorate so that people from different sectors could also participate in the election. There was no need to introduce new subsectors; an enhancement in the coverage of the electorate of each subsector would suffice.

Others

• Participants were of the view that it was premature to set a timetable for universal suffrage.

Method for Forming the Legislative Council

The Number of Seats in the Legislative Council

• Participants agreed that 60 seats would suffice.

The Number of Seats Returned by Geographical Constituencies

• Participants considered it not necessary to increase the number of seats returned by geographical constituencies. However, if it were increased, the number of seats returned by functional constituencies should be increased accordingly.

The Delineation and Size of the Electorate of Legislative Council Functional Constituencies

• Participants suggested that the current delineation of functional constituencies be reviewed to include sectors which had been left out. This could enhance the electorate without introducing new functional constituencies. If new sectors were added arbitrarily, it might create more social disputes.
  
  

• Participants opined that existing sectors should not be reorganized or split, but their electorate base should be broadened. Reviewing the delineation of the electorate of each sector could achieve the aim of including missing sectors in the system.
  
  

• Participants worried that if corporate voting were replaced by individual voting, the election might be more chaotic; hence this proposal should be considered carefully.

Provisions regarding Nationality of Legislative Council Members

• Many participants agreed that only Chinese nationals should be allowed to serve as Legislative Council Members.

Others

• Participants proposed that if the number of Legislative Council seats were to be increased, a review on the functions and performance of District Councils should be conducted first because elected District Council members would probably form a new constituency.
  
  

• A participant proposed that there should be a mechanism for recalling members of District Councils and the Legislative Council to facilitate monitoring by the community to improve governance.