How will improved electoral system benefit Hong Kong?
On Thursday, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Legislative
Council passed the Improving Electoral System (Consolidated
Amendments)
Bill 2021, which means the local legislation of improving HKSAR's
electoral system has been wrapped up.
That is the best news for Hong Kong today. The city has made a major
improvement in its electoral system following amendments made by the
country's top legislature, thus bringing the local democracy back to the right
track.
According to the bill, a credentials committee will be set to make sure the
candidates for elections are loyal to the country and the SAR. Certain radical
political forces that hate their motherland and home city will no longer find
it so easy to grab a place in the local legislative body.
Besides, the election committee will be extended to be more representative
of the Hong Kong people, and play a bigger role in electing the Chief
Executive and LegCo members.
That move is expected to grant the legislative and administrative bodies a
common election basis so as to enhance the governance efficiency. One
previous phenomenon, namely opposing for the sake of opposing, might
become much less frequent in the future.
And more convenience is introduced for elections this year, such as setting a
special registration deadline to allow newly eligible and affected electors to
re-process their voter registration matters.
In one word, the improved electoral system means to further enhance
democracy and better serve local voters in Hong Kong.
However, the improved electoral system will never, as certain Western
observers concluded, exclude opposition forces. On the contrary, opposition
forces will still play an active role in politics because both the election
committee and the LegCo are extended and made more representative. The
former has 300 more seats while the latter has 20 more, both of which mean
more opportunities for political participation.
The door is closed only to those who hat
