HONG KONG: By-elections to fill Legislative Council (LegCo) vacancies left by opposition lawmakers threatening to resign over the government's electoral reform package may cost taxpayers HK$150 million, Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Stephen Lam said yesterday.

The by-elections may take four months to complete but won't derail government plans to wrap up public consultation in February as scheduled and table an amended package for legislative deliberation, he told a LegCo meeting.

Lam expressed his hope that the legislative process regarding the government-proposed electoral arrangements for the 2012 Chief Executive and LegCo elections could kick off in the fourth quarter of next year.

He reiterated that the government is sincere in its effort to advance democracy in Hong Kong and the reform package is a step forward toward that goal.

He urged the opposition legislators to think twice before making any decision on whether to resign.

Whether the legislature will approve the estimated HK$150 million by-election bill remains a question mark as a number of lawmakers yesterday expressed reservations on such an expenditure.

LegCo member Wong Kwok-kin said that the people of Hong Kong may deem it unworthy to spend so much on the by-elections and lawmakers may have to heed public opinion and vote against it.

Legislator Leung Mei-fun expressly voiced her opposition to appropriations for by-elections that she said would expend lots of manpower and other resources.

Legislator Wong Kwok-hing expressed concern that by-elections may steal the public limelight, which should instead be focused on the reform package.

(HK Edition 11/27/2009 page1)