Democratic Party Meets with Chief Executive;

Criticizes Tung's Anti-Democracy Programme

January 9, 1999

In a lengthy meeting with Chief Executive C.H. Tung, Democratic Party Chairman Martin Lee and legislators  Fred Li and James To criticized the Mr. Tung's anti-democracy programme. In a meeting lasting well over  one hour, the Democrats pressed the Chief Executive specifically on his plans to add appointed members  to the District Boards.

The meeting was the second time Democrats have met with Mr. Tung since the DP was returned to the  Legislative Council in last May's elections.

Martin Lee commented:

"We told the Chief Executive that we adamantly oppose his administration's anti-democratic programme.  His plan to abolish the Municipal Councils and dilute the District Boards with appointed members are  precisely the worst way to proceed. Under Mr. Tung, Hong Kong is going backwards, and losing  aspects of the limited democracy we already have. The contrast with other countries in the region,  like Taiwan, is striking.

Unfortunately, Mr. Tung was not the least bit swayed by our conversation -- even though the  Democratic Party, and indeed democracy, has the people's mandate. Mr. Tung doesn't believe in  democracy, and it is no surprise that his administration is devoted to thwarting it in the local government  institutions as well as in Legco."