The 2012 electoral reform proposal for choosing the city's chief executive passed second reading on Wednesday night. The amendment for selection of members of the Legislative Council is still to be debated.

The 2012 electoral proposals are solid democratic progress that leads to universal suffrage in Hong Kong, Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Stephen Lam said Wednesday. Not only will some 2.3 million registered voters have two votes, the expansion of the Election Committee (EC) that selects the chief executive will also serve the purpose of gradual and orderly progress and balanced participation.

Speaking at the second reading debate stage, Lam said this is the first time the SAR government has amended electoral procedures since the handover, in accordance with the Basic Law to take forward constitutional development in Hong Kong.

As proposed, the size of the EC will increase from 800 to 1,200 members and the new members will be allocated in proportion to the existing number of members in each subsector under the four sectors of the EC.

The expansion of the EC is conducive to transforming the EC to the nomination committee that nominates chief executive candidates for universal suffrage in 2017, said Lam.

Originally, the government proposed that in case of only one candidate is running for the election, he or she must secure more than half of the valid votes cast in order to be returned.

Having heard the suggestion from the bills committee that the legitimacy of the chief executive-elect will not be strong if the turnout rate is low, the government agreed to amend the bill by stipulating that the candidate must obtain over 600 votes from the EC to be considered elected.

Lam said the government was very concerned with lawmakers quitting during their term at their own will.

The government is conducting internal study and will introduce a legislative proposal within this term to tackle the problem, Lam said.

China Daily

(HK Edition 03/03/2011 page1)