The Head of the Central Policy Unit of the Hong Kong government, Lau Siu-kai, has called on the Democratic Party to abandon its short-term interests in favor of supporting the long-term goal of electoral reform.

The party took the right step in refusing to join the de facto "referendum", Lau said. If the party votes in favor of the package, it will help the development of the party and the democratic movement in the long term, and improve the party's relation with the Central Government, Lau added.

Speaking to China Daily in an exclusive interview, Lau noted the Democratic Party holds nine votes in the legislature, which are crucial to the passage of the electoral reform package.

The Alliance for Universal Suffrage, which is composed of milder factions of the opposition camp including the Democratic Party, holds 15 votes. "If they do not tie themselves together this time, we will have a greater chance to pass the electoral package," Lau observed. "But it is still too early to say if anyone will untie oneself from the bundle."

The Democratic Party leadership, in particular, needs great wisdom and courage to support the package, he said. Lau suggested that the party has some very longstanding, hardcore supporters who are more radical, have strong passions in the quest for democracy and less trust for the Central Government.

They fear that if they support the government package, they will lose diehard supporters, huge numbers of votes in the next Legislative Council election and also come under serious fire from the "referendum-bound" Civic Party and the League of Social Democrats (Civic League), he said.

"The mainstream opinion wants to see constitutional development move forward in Hong Kong. If the party supports the package, it may gain more supporters and young members. As the 'Civic League' has become rather unpopular, it may risk losing supporters and some may join the Democratic Party," Lau said. "The Democratic Party should set its sights on the future and a bigger picture. If it does not go forward, it cannot explore new sources of support and the situation remains a zero sum game."

"The passage of the electoral reform package will gain momentum for democratic development in Hong Kong. It will give more people, including the business people, the chance to enter politics, and prompt the emergence of new blood," he said.

Calling politics one of Hong Kong's deep-rooted problems, Lau envisaged a string of negative consequences if the package is vetoed. The momentum of democratic development will decrease if not stop and society will be further divided, with the two opposing camps pointing fingers at each other, he said.

"The electoral reform package is the best the government can offer and the government will continue lobbing the democrats," he noted. Yet there is little room for concession as the government has also to cater to the interests of the citizens and the pro-establishment camp, Lau said.

China Daily

(HK Edition 04/21/2010 page1)