On July 1, the people of Hong Kong voted by taking to the streets. This time, in the District Council elections, they voted through the ballot box. But the message is the same - it is a clear vote for democracy.

The massive voter turnout is telling - the people want their voices to be heard by embracing the electoral process. The public knows full well that the district councils are yet to have a significant bearing on the decision-making processes.

But by making full use of the existing avenues for political participation, and voting out candidates who act against the interests of the people, they are sending a crystal-clear message: pro-government parties do not represent their interests; and democratic reform is imperative.

More than one million people voted on Sunday. They not only voted for their ideal candidate to represent them on matters of local administration, but also for a system in which voters' choices and rights are respected.

But these voters will be disenfranchised by the announcement of the appointment of members to the District Council. This is like giving thousands of votes to people who did not stand for election.

It is also daunting for those who exercised their right to choose their own representatives. The appointment system, meant to entrench more pro-government members in the district councils, is a regressive step and an impervious disregard of public opinion. Instead of negating the voters' mandate, Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa should renounce his power of appointment.

In a survey conducted by the Democratic Party this month, 52.5 per cent of respondents said they supported the abolition of the appointment system. The massive turnout is a resounding no to the system, and it should be scrapped in light of the demand for greater democracy.

The administration has been adhering strictly to the principle that Hong Kong should take a gradual approach to democratisation, in accordance with the Basic Law, on the grounds of maintaining stability.

But recent events, including the national security bill saga, have proved that, in fact, a lack of democracy works against stability. The government has been withdrawing some of its proposed policies out of political expediency in the wake of the July 1 uproar, giving the impression that it is willing to run for cover at the slightest whiff of dissent. While these may be welcome signs that the administration is listening to the people, the lack of legitimacy is what is most worrying.

The situation is likely to get worse. Secretary for Constitutional Affairs Stephen Lam Sui-lung provided a revealing answer when asked whether Tsang Yok-sing's decision to quit as chairman of the Democratic Alliance for Betterment of Hong Kong would make it more difficult for the administration to push its policies through the legislature. Next year is an election year and that's a political reality, he said. Don't expect too much from the next policy address.

If this is true, it means that the administration will sit back and wait once every four years because it lacks sufficient support from Legco. One does not need to be a political scientist to see that the present political system is unsustainable.

Polls conducted by the University of Hong Kong just before the elections show that 11 per cent of voters considered a candidate's political alignment the most important factor in deciding who to choose. This compares to six per cent who felt the same in 1999.

Given that the district councils are consultative bodies on matters of local administration, the increase is significant. The massive turnout in the District Council elections and the number of votes cast for pro-democracy candidates demonstrate a strong will for political change.

The message will not be lost on any politically astute government. If the central government and the Tung administration consider political and social stability to be prime concerns in Hong Kong, the upcoming consultation on constitutional development has to be genuine.

The systemic flaws in the political structure can only be corrected by democratic reform. Direct elections for the chief executive in 2007 and for the whole of Legco in 2008 are entirely within the framework provided by the Basic Law.

Hong Kong people have proved by their actions that democracy is high on their list of priorities. A democratic system would confer a legitimacy which is badly needed by the battered administration.

And a successful model of the one country, two systems principle will be a classic example for Taiwan to look to, enabling a peaceful unification with the mainland.

YEUNG SUM

Chairman of the Democratic Party and a directly elected Legislative

Councillor

[South China Morning Post, November 27, 2003]