Around the News Desk.
Thursday, May 28, 1998 -- HONG KONG -- They're back. Sweeping the popular vote in last weekend's first election since the hand-over, Hong Kong's Democratic Party and their allies have stormed back into the Legislative Council, Legco.
Popular vote that is. Only 20 seats in the 60 seat Legco were returned by Hong Kong's rank and file citizens. The other 40 members were chosen by business and professional groups, known as Functional Constituencies, and an Election Committee. Most pundits, myself included, were surprised by the record 53 percent turnout, but not by the actual results.
All the odds were stacked against this election. For one thing, it was criticised mercilessly for being too confusing. Seats were shared between Geographic Constituencies (GC), Functional Constituencies (FC) and an Election Committee (EC). Some of the FCs were settled even before the polls opened, with solitary candidates standing for an uncontested seat. Then there was the 'party list' system applied to the GCs. Voters didn't cast their ballot for individuals, but for candidates on the party list in their constituency. Critics of proportional representation say the system robs voters of true democracy. Advocates say it supports a more balanced legislature.
Of course the Legco election does not alter the make up of the Government. Chief Executive Tung Chee Hwa and his appointed 'secretaries' or ministers do not face the prospect of hitting the hustings. Election critics said this simple fact would deter people from voting - What's the point, they asked?
And it rained. No, I'll qualify that. The skies opened and it absolutely poured. More than a hundred families had to be evacuated from flooded homes. But that didn't stop the people of Hong Kong getting to the polling stations and sending a clear message to the Government: Full and free democracy is the direction in which Hong Kong should be heading. Democratic Party
Chairman Martin Lee and Frontier Party leader Emily Lau were quick to call for 100 percent directly elected seats in the next election slated for the year 2000. Hong Kong's mini-constitution, the 'Basic Law' allows for 24 directly elected seats in 2000, and 30 in 2004. Lee and Lau are also calling for the Chief Executive to be chosen by popular vote.
How many of the items on the pro-democracy wish list will actually come to pass is an open question, but one thing is sure, covering local politics here is certainly going to get more interesting!
Developments in Indonesia and the Chinagate scandal still warranted consideration by us editors around the newsdesk.
With Suharto gone, now is the time for Western governments to heap the pressure on President B.J. Habibie to press ahead with promised reforms. Now is the time to directly link IMF support for Jakarta's battered economy to quantum improvements in human rights and a closure on the East Timor question. And now is the time to put military cooperation and arms sales on the back-burner until those pressing issues are dealt with. Now is the time for a fresh start, and while a lot depends on Habibie, the influence that could be exerted by Western governments should not be underestimated. How about doing the right thing for once, and not just what is good for business or expedient?
Meanwhile, our pals just to the north are still vehemently denying that they tried to influence the outcome of 1996 US Presidential elections with campaign contributions. I've said it before, but if Washington can be bought so cheaply, then you folks are in worse shape that I thought you were.
For me, the jury is still out on whether POTUS was unwise in signing waivers for US companies to launch their satellites on Chinese rockets. Given the 'Get Clinton' atmosphere of Washington, I am surprised the POTUS does anything without first getting signed letters of support from the GOP. I am inclined, as a conspiracy theorist, to believe there is no smoke without fire and that in some way China did benefit from its close working relationship with US aerospace companies.
Just how far campaign contributions influenced POTUS in his technology transfer decision making process is arguable. Frankly, when there is money to be made there are folks who will bend and break the rules to get their hands on it. And for me, that includes Presidents.
I do not believe anyone is incorruptable or above acting out of self interest. A weekend edition of the BBC's "Wheeler on America" revealed how LBJ lied to the American public over operations in Vietnam, and how Nixon used his influence to get the Saigon regime to withdraw from Paris peace talks in time to discredit the Democrats and give his election campaign a boost. Another 25,000 American lives were lost in the conflict that Defense and the White House knew they couldn't win. Nah, I don't trust political types.
Bombshell of the week, however, must go to Newt's suggestion that Maddie Albright is a paid-up card-carrying agent of Yassir Arafat's PLO. Yeah, right.
Search American Politics Provided by Hot Bot |
