HK chief exec hails improved electoral system
Hong Kong: The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s new electoral system will prove to be a quality democracy by bringing the city substantial breakthroughs in improving people’s livelihoods, improving its economy and integrating with the mainland, the city’s top official and newly appointed Election Committee members said.
Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said that the city’s improved electoral system will bring a high-quality democracy in line with the SAR’s reality and ultimately benefit its people.
The new 1500-strong Election
Committee was formed by 364 winners of the subsector Election Committee elections on Sunday the first elections under Hong Kong’s reformed electoral system as well as ex officio members, nominees and candidates who returned uncontested.
They will be responsible for nominating and electing the next chief executive, nominating Legislative Council members and electing nearly half of the 90 Legislative Council members.
At Tuesday’s weekly news conference, Ms Lam said that the test of the new electoral system is whether it can enhance government efficiency and address issues of concern to the public, including housing and the city’s integration into national development.
“Don’t forget that the ultimate goal of democracy is for the good of the people,” she said.
In addition to its primary objective to close the loopholes in the previous electoral system that had threatened national security, said Ms Lam, the new electoral system will better suit Hong Kong’s constitutional order under “one country, two systems”, and will facilitate the “executiveled” political system with the chief executive at the core.