The Fifth Report

The Fourth Report of the Constitutional Development Task Force
Regional Forum (Kowloon)
(23 March 2005)

Discussion Summaries of Group 2
Group Facilitator: Mr Kwok Kai-hing

(Translation)

Method for Selecting the Chief Executive

The Number of Members of the Election Committee

• The majority of participants agreed in principle that the Election Committee should be expanded to over 1200 members to enhance its representativeness. This should be done in a way that could be accepted by society and in a gradual and orderly manner.

• A participant proposed an increase to 1 400 or 1 600 members.

The Composition of the Election Committee

• The majority of participants agreed to adjust suitably the subsectors of the Election Committee and to introduce new subsectors.

• Some participants suggested adding new subsectors for women, social services, tertiary institutions, etc.

• A participant suggested including the majority of District Council members in the Election Committee. A participant took the view that representatives from district organizations and area committees, and co-opted members of the District Councils should be included.

The Number of Members Required for Nominating Candidates

• Some participants supported maintaining the number of subscribers at 100, while others suggested increasing the number to 150 or even 400 to enhance candidates'representativeness. A participant considered that maintaining the requirement stipulated in the Basic Law would be sufficient. None of the participants suggested lowering the threshold for nomination.

• The majority of participants were of the view that the number of subscribers required for nomination should be reviewed from time to time.

• Participants held diverse views on whether an upper limit on the number of subscribers should be set.

• Participants agreed that it was not necessary for candidates to secure a certain level of support from all four sectors.

The Delineation and Size of the Electorate of the Election Committee

• The majority of participants supported expanding the delineation and size of the electorate so as to enhance the representativeness of the Election Committee, and to allow people from different sectors of the community to participate.

• Participants held diverse views on whether to replace corporate voting with individual voting. A participant considered that constituents of the Election Committee subsectors should represent the subsectors as a whole. If individual voting were adopted, the representativeness of the subsectors might be undermined.

Method for Forming the Legislative Council

The Number of Seats in the Legislative Council

• Participants considered that there was room for increasing the number of Legislative Council seats. Initially, participants considered that only by functional constituency seats should be increased. However, in view of the decision of the Standing Committee of National People's Congress, they agreed that the seats returned by both geographical constituencies and functional constituencies should be increased.

• A participant suggested increasing the number of seats to 70 - 80 in accordance with the principle of gradual and orderly progress.

• Some participants considered that the number of seats should remain unchanged as the electoral method would be further amended after 2008.

The Delineation and Size of the Electorate of Functional Constituencies

• Participants suggested that the existing constituencies should be split, merged or restructured. For example, a participant proposed that the insurance and the finance constituencies should be merged again.

• A participant proposed adding new constituencies in line with social development.

• Participants took the view that, instead of implementing individual voting across the board, decision on whether to replace corporate voting with individual voting should be made by the concerned organisations. A participant considered that individual voting was appropriate for certain constituencies.

Provisions regarding Nationality of the Legislative Council Members

• Many participants supported maintaining the current provision because this could help maintain Hong Kong's image as an international city that could accommodate diverse views.

• A participant was of the view that after reunification, Hong Kong and Chinese people were capable of looking after the affairs of the Legislative Council. Hence, people holding foreign nationalities should no longer be allowed to become Legislative Council Members.