Hong Kong politician predicts public divide on electoral reform right up to Legco vote

The Executive Council convenor says he does not expect the public to reach a consensus on the government's electoral reform package any time soon, as opinions are likely to remain divided up until the legislature votes on it in late June.

Lam Woon-kwong spoke after two polls, conducted separately, found a divide between supporters and opponents of the government's proposal - with neither side representing a majority - that offered no concessions to sway pan-democrats.

"As [political reform] enters the final stage, many people have made up their minds and I don't expect any drastic change in [public opinion]," Lam said on Commercial Radio yesterday.

The government on Wednesday unveiled its draft proposal for reform of the 2017 chief executive election that followed strictly Beijing's framework, announced in August. Only two or three people were to wind up as candidates in a citywide ballot after they obtained majority support on a nominating committee.

In a rolling poll by Cable TV, almost half of 505 respondents backed the package and nearly 40 per cent objected to it, the latest results showed on Friday.

According to another poll, commissioned by TVB, 50.9 per cent of 1,112 respondents interviewed from Thursday to Sunday said the Legislative Council should pass the government's blueprint, while 37.9 per cent wanted it voted down.

Another rolling survey, held by three universities until the eve of the Legco vote, is due to yield its first-round findings today.