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Election
Complaint
Dear Mr. Justice Woo: I am writing to lodge a formal complaint on behalf of the Democratic Party against Michael Suen, Secretary for Constitutional Affairs, with regard to statements made by him on the May 16th edition of the RTHK programme,Letter from Hong Kong, and subsequent statements published in the Asian Wall Street Journal for May 22-23, 1998. In his Letter from Hong Kong radio address, Secretary Suen states that "too much emphasis has been given to debating the number of directly elected seats, and whether there should be universal suffrage immediately". He concludes that there is "no way to expedite...democratic development in Hong Kong". Indeed, the Chinese press carried another, even more objectionable statement from him, likening the democratisation process in Hong Kong to the distillation of a French red wine: it could not be rushed, but it must be allowed to take its own time. I enclose a photostat copy of an excerpt from Ming Pao Daily, 17 May, 1998. Secretary Suen made remarks of similar substance in an editorial in today's edition of the Asian Wall Street Journal. Specifically, Suen argues thatthe question of universal suffrage is simply not an issue -- asserting that the "success" of the upcoming elections depends upon "put(ting) aside different views on... the pace of democratic development in Hong Kong". These statements amount to an attempt by a government official to pre-empt one of the most important issues available for debate in the elections. We object to this unwarranted interference with the electoral process. Determining the agenda for the upcoming election is the work of the public and the candidates. For an executive branch official to attempt to take certain issues off the table is an improper exercise of executive power. The Democratic Party believes that Secretary Suen is absolutely entitled to his personal views about political development in Hong Kong. However, for Secretary Suen to express these views in his official capacity creates the appearance that these views are endorsed by the government -- or worse, it appears that the government is giving credibility to the parties that oppose a faster pace towards democracy. This is plainly inappropriate. Interference of this kind by Hong Kong's civil service creates a conflict of interest and threatens to compromise the fairness of these elections. The appropriate province of the Constitutional Affairs Bureau is to administer the elections? not to tell voters what should and should not be considered relevant issues for the purposes of public debate, particularly when the election is only days away. I look forward to your prompt action in this matter. Yours sincerely, PRESS STATEMENT 22 May 1998 |
