Veteran Democrat Martin Lee sets next Hong Kong leader two conditions to get party on board
Party founder says chief executive-elect must restart electoral reform process and pick cabinet without Beijing’s interference
Lee laid down the two conditions after veteran Democrat Dr Law Chi-kwong, a University of Hong Kong social policy academic, was believed to have been approached by the chief executive-elect to serve as a minister.
Law declined to comment to the Post.
The Democratic Party, the Civic Party, and the Professionals Guild, formed by seven pan-democratic lawmakers, said they had received an invitation from Lam to meet as her first step in forging social unity.
The Democratic Party’s central standing committee decided on Thursday night to uphold its policy of barring members from serving as ministers or executive councillors until the city’s leader was elected by universal suffrage.
“Mrs Lam needs to show she’s genuine in bringing democracy to Hong Kong,” Lee, who was not on the party committee but agreed with its decision, said on Friday. “She must restart the process for reform of universal suffrage, which Beijing has promised Hongkongers but denied them for 20 years. Nothing else can help her win pan-democrats over to her side.”
Under the ruling by the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, a nomination committee would put forward two or three chief executive candidates backed by a majority of members for subsequent popular election.
Lam, who won the leadership election on March 26 with the backing of Beijing loyalists, has urged pan-democratic parties not to shut the door on her.
Law is considered a moderate in his party and has functioned as an election strategist. He is an ally of Lam, having served on several government advisory bodies, including the Commission on Poverty, when Lam was chief secretary.
While declining to comment on his future, Law told the Post he had obtained a 10-year home return permit recently to travel to mainland China and he went there twice last week.
Without them they cannot visit the mainland unless they have one-off permission.