Now that the SAR government has decided to adopt the "one person, two votes" arrangement for the district council functional constituency in the 2012 Legislative Council election and the Democratic Party's (DP) general meeting has passed the motion to support the government's reform package, the passage of the constitutional amendment bills by a two-thirds majority in the legislature is almost a certainty.

Such a drastic change seems to have come out from nowhere, but it was actually not easy to come by.

It was the fruit of the combined and relentless efforts of the SAR government, the pro-establishment camp, the moderate democrats, as well as of the Central Government's Liaison Office and members of the public who have shown their support for the progress of constitutional reform.

The chief executive and his team of accountable officials have put forward the most democratic reform package possible within the framework of the Basic Law and the National People's Congress Standing Committee's related decisions. The SAR government is open-minded enough to accept DP's "one person, two votes" proposal and promise to put it into practice through local legislation. The idea is to pave the way for the forging of consensus among different parties and the ultimate endorsement of the reform package.

The various political groups and individuals in the pro-establishment camp are, after all, the most steadfast supporters of the constitutional reform. Not only did they actively participate in the consultation on the reform package, but they also did their best in calling upon the community to work together for the advancement of the reform. After understanding the real meaning of the "one person, two votes" proposal and confirming that it does not contravene the Basic Law, they bore in mind the greater good rather than the credits they rightfully deserved and rallied behind the SAR government's reform proposals, continuing its mission to champion the cause.

The DP, the Alliance for Universal Suffrage and other moderate democrats chose the path of rational communication. They strove to seek opportunities for political compromises in their dialogues with the SAR government and the Liaison Office. After reappraising the circumstances, they were willing to readjust their negotiation baseline and succeeded to strike a deal. They became one of the key players in the successful reform exercise.

The Liaison Office, on the other hand, assumed the pivotal role of liaison and coordination by listening directly to the views of the moderate democrats and illuminating the Central Government's stance at the most critical juncture.

The general public played their part by airing their views on the reform package in different ways, forming the mainstream opinion that shores up the reform movement.

All in all, it is the unwavering participation and efforts by various quarters that have brought about the win-win situation that we welcome today. That is the very reason why this favorable outcome is all the more valuable.

Of comparable importance are the lessons the local community can learn from this reform exercise that can be used to resolve disputes in the future.

(HK Edition 06/23/2010 page1)