Beijing won’t accept ‘civil nomination’: Tam
DAB chairman urges opposition to comply with the Basic Law
The central government won’t accept such an electoral package if the “civil nomination” mechanism as proposed by the opposition is adopted for the 2017 Chief Executive ( CE) Election under universal suffrage, said Tam Yiu-chung, chairman of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB).
Tam, during an exclusive interview with China Daily on Tuesday, emphasized that the election of the CE by universal suff rage in 2017 must comply with the Basic Law and decisions of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC).
Article 45 of the Basic Law stipulates that the CE candidates must be selected by the Nominating Committee. Tam said that he believed the NPCSC would rule out “civil nomination” as a legitimate channel to choose CE candidates.
“So as a gatekeeper, the Nominating Committee will be responsible for nominating CE candidates in a strict, solemn manner to bar unsuitable persons from entering the race and to prevent the impasse of non-appointment. We should note that the Nominating Committee is different from the existing Election Committee, which nominates and also elects candidates.”
As the opposition holds the crucial “minority votes” which can veto the electoral package, Tam urged them not to put partisan interests over public interests.
The opposition camp had argued that when Li Fei, deputy secretary-general of the NPCSC, visited Hong Kong last month, he did not rule out “civil nomination” as a proper method.
But Tam said the public consultation had not started when Li visited Hong Kong, therefore, Li did not openly exclude it in order to avoid controversy. But Li repeatedly emphasized adherence to the Basic Law, because other methods were improper, Tam added.
“When Chief Secretary for Administration Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet- ngor unveiled the consultation paper last week, I urged her to speak out against proposals that are obviously not complying with the Basic Law,” he said. “She responded to my demands positively. On subsequent occasions, she reiterated that the CE election by universal suff rage should comply with the required legal framework, while any proposals should not be like ‘crazy horses’.”
Formation of NC
Discussing formation of the Nominating Committee, Tam said he agreed to the idea of retaining four sectors, while the number of members would remain at 1,200.
Two to four candidates were appropriate and would provide a very competitive election. If there were too many candidates, this could attract people only interested in media attention. The number of candidates should be written into the law to prevent disputes, he added.
A person recommended by 100- 150 Nominating Committee members could then enter the next round. If he or she was endorsed by the majority of the committee, they could become a valid candidate.
Th ere are different views as to the number of nominations a recommended person must win to become a valid candidate. Some have suggested that more than half of the Nominating Committee members would be required to endorse a candidate.
“The number of required nominations is open to further discussion,” he said.