Hong Kong pan-democrats will be marginalised if they reject 2017 poll plan, warns Exco convenor

Pan-democrats would be marginalised if they vetoed the 2017 chief executive electoral reform package, warned Executive Council convenor Lam Woon-kwong.

Speaking on an RTHK programme on Friday, Lam said pan-democrats logically should not take part in the “small-circle” election in 2017 if they rejected the government’s package.

However, pan-democratic lawmakers appearing on the same programme reiterated that they would veto the reform because otherwise they would be marginalised by their own supporters.

“Let’s assume all 27 pan-democrats stick to their ground to veto the reform, then the same election like 2012 will be held. Will the pan-democrats then, like before, support another candidate to fight in this small-circle election?” Lam asked.

“By an extension of logic, you won’t. Because you can’t even support this current proposal, so you can’t really join the game again in 2017.”

Last month, the government unveiled a reform package that followed a stringent framework laid down by Beijing in August last year which will allow only two or three candidates to be put forward for a city-wide poll after they obtain majority support from a 1,200-strong nominating committee.

Pan-democratic lawmakers have repeatedly vowed to veto the package when it is put to a vote in late June.