| ||
April 07, 2005
You are on the invidual archive page of Mr Tsang goes to Beijing. Click Simon World weblog for the main page.
|
Mr Tsang goes to Beijing
The Don declares the only way forward is to ask Beijing to intervene over the term of the next Chief Executive in Hong Kong. Yesterday's coverage included an op-ed by Margaret Ng that emphasised the importance of the process rather than the politics. Today's SCMP editorial (reproduced in full below the fold) repeats the same point. The Basic Law has the mechanisms in place to properly deal with current events. That process leads to the same end point: asking the NPC to interpret the Basic Law and a 2 year term for the CE. But it would be via the courts, where the arguments on both sides can be aired and ruled upon. The editorial's conclusion: Mr Tsang says such a move is needed because the government has "encountered a difficulty" and has to deal with a "practical issue". He is right to be concerned that failing to hold the election on time will damage Hong Kong's international reputation. But greater harm will be done by requesting an interpretation that imposes a strait-jacket on the courts and pays no respect to the proper judicial processes.Set aside if the term should be 2 or 5 years. Its the subversion of due process that is the biggest threat. Worse is the narrow interpretation asked for, only over the CE's term. There are other pressing issues that flow from that decision, such as how many terms and for how long can the next CE serve? It's just setting up for another repeat of this debacle down the track. The Don is missing an opportunity here. Why not get the NPC to rule on The Link REIT case at the same time? Other Reading: Tom looks at the litany of apologists in today's SCMP. Today's SCMP editorial: A request from Hong Kong to Beijing to interpret the Basic Law is a matter of great moment and seriousness. It should be made only out of necessity, not convenience. The Hong Kong government's request yesterday for central authorities to interpret the Basic Law has the great virtue that it will remove uncertainty about the length of the next chief executive's term. It will also ensure that any legal challenge in the courts is doomed to failure. But this pre-emptive move will strike a fresh blow to the rule of law. The move is not, as the government claims, the only solution to the problem - and it is not the best. Full text of the NPC request: [1] On March 12, 2005, the State Council approved by Order No 433 the request of Mr Tung Chee-hwa to resign from the office of the chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. According to the relevant provisions of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China and the Chief Executive Election Ordinance of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, a new chief executive shall be elected on July 10.posted by Simon on 04.07.05 at 11:59 AM in the Hong Kong democracy/politics category.
Trackbacks:
TrackBack URL for this entry: http://blog.mu.nu/cgi/trackback.cgi/74201 Send a manual trackback ping to this post.
Comments:
pardon me, but the litany of apologists in the sCMP, indeed! every story was "Oh, it's not that bad at all." jeeszh. |
|