Concern group calls on Hong Kong to oppose candidate screening in 2017 election
Former lawmakers and professionals push city to oppose screening in 2017 election rules
A group of liberal-minded professionals has urged the Hong Kong government to press Beijing not to impose a rigid candidate screening framework for the 2017 chief executive election.
Making their plea yesterday, eight members of the Concern Group for Public Opinion on Constitutional Development said strict rules would worsen divisions in society over the political reforms.
The group is worried that Beijing's blueprint, which the National People's Congress Standing Committee is expected to draw up next month, could include a limit on the number of candidates to as few as three and require contenders to get support from as many as half the members of the nominating committee.
The professionals made their plea in a meeting with the government's task force on constitutional reform, headed by Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor.
"I told Carrie Lam and other officials that such a move would escalate the tension over political reform," said group member Tik Chi-yuen, a former Democratic Party lawmaker.
"I urged them to convey my concern to Beijing."
