The script of Chairman of DP Yeung Sum at the program of "Letter to Hong Kong" broadcasted on 8 December

8 December 2002

This is a difficult time for all. The number of jobs are declining. People's freedom of speech and expression are curbed. There is even lesser room for the party in opposition to make changes for the society. We have a government which is not democratically elected. We have a government which sides with the big businesses and large conglomerates. We have a government which is going to put a "knife" above everybody's head by legislating on Article 23 of the Basic Law. And above all, we have a government which is protected by pro-Beijing and pro-government parties in the legislature. In spite of these difficulties, the Democratic Party will continue to strive for building a stronger Hong Kong, for making the government more democratic and accountable, for actualising "one country, two systems", for creating more jobs and making a better livelihood for all. To quote Robert Kennedy, "Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance." This is what keeps us going. And we shall keep moving ahead.

To meet these challenges, we, the Democratic Party, will unite all members, reach out to the people, speak for them and organise the masses in our social movements. In particular, there are three areas in which we have to work on.

First, we need to strengthen our ties with community organisations on the grass-roots level. Democracy is government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Therefore it is of foremost importance that we reach out to the people, listen to them, speak for them and eventually organise them to help themselves.

Second, we need to strengthen our network with academics and professionals alike to enrich our visions when we formulate our policy stances. We have entered an era in which "knowledge is power", where high quality policy research is essential to enhance our capacity as legislators.

Third, improving our relationship with the government is one of our top priorities in the years ahead. As the opposition party in the legislature, we would continue to advocate our policy stances and make constructive proposals. We have in fact made numerous policy proposals to the government. Some of them have been adopted and incorporated in government policies. Others have fallen on deaf ears. But it would be unfair to criticise us as being unconstructive. Even though we are the party in opposition in the legislature, we do not merely "oppose". There is hard evidence that every time we comment on government policies, we have an alternative proposal. And we would continue to do so.

So much so for our part. But, is the government sincere in consulting us and the people of Hong Kong when it puts forth its policy proposals? Is the government sincere when it keeps saying that there is no need to publish the White Bill on the proposal to legislate on Article 23 of the Basic Law, when noises for it are loud and clear?

"Democracy, accountability, prosperity and livelihood" will continue to be our goals. After the return of sovereignty since 1997, not only is there no progress on the democratic development of Hong Kong, our Chief Executive Mr. Tung has made matters even worse. The re-introduction of appointed members to the Districts Council, the abolition of the Municipal Councils , and the transformation of the Housing Authority from a policy-making institution to a mere consultative body point to the fact that Tung lives in the past and wants a reversion to the past.

Ever since the establishment of the Democratic Party, we had urged for a more accountable government. Ironically, when the accountability of principal officials was formally implemented on 1 July 2002, we were unhappy with it. It was implemented after a brief and hasty consultation with the Legislative Council. It is a system of accountability in which principal officials are only accountable to the Chief Executive, not to the legislature nor to the people. This is the kind of accountability system Mr. Tung had introduced.

With the legislation on Article 23 of the Basic Law, our rights and freedoms will be circumscribed. Not only has the government failed to defend our basic rights, it has unilaterally handed it over to Beijing. What lies ahead for the government is to set a clear time-table for democratic reform, and to withdraw the current consultation on Article 23 since the people of Hong Kong do not believe that there is a present need to legislate.

Issues of livelihood will also top our new agenda. We have made proposals to create more jobs and to rejuvenate the economy. To achieve these goals, the government must put in more resources to enhance the quality of education. We would strive for more reasonable prices in public utilities and transportation. These would be our future social movements in which masses will be involved, organised and educated to become freedom fighters.

It's high time we go further in putting aside our differences and work together with the government to resolve the problems that Hong Kong people are facing. We are always ready to improve our communication with the government and it's up to the government to listen.

This is a difficult time for all; but it is also a time which is more open to the creative energy of the fighters for democracy and of the masses who are tired of a government that does not listen to the people.

Democratic Party Chairman Mr. Yeung Sum