Carrie Lam says chance for political reform in Hong Kong “very small”

(BOXUN Translation, BBC report in Chinese) Hong Kong media on Tuesday June 9, 2015 reported that there remains one week for the Hong Kong Legislative Council to vote on whether the Chief Executive can be selected by universal suffrage. Chief Secretary for Administration of Hong Kong Government Carrie Lam says the chance for political reform through a constitutional reform package in Hong Kong is “very small.”

According the the South China Morning Post, Carrie Lam made this statement after meeting a group of pan-Democratic party representatives.

Hong Kong’s Legislative Council has scheduled Wednesday June 17, 2015 to vote on universal suffrage for Chief Executive reform package.

However, the most recent poll results and meetings between the Hong Kong Government and political party representatives have show that a political reform deadlock is likely to occur and the final reform package will be rejected.

Carrie Lam also aid that until now Pan-Democratice Party representatives remain firm in their stance and are prepared to veto all political reforms.

The latest opinion poll

Previously, the “political reform public interest groups” poll on Sunday, June 7, 2015 showed that 49 percent of respondents want political reform, a 4 percent decline from the previous poll, and opposition rose to 42 percent.

At the same time, belief in the very small probability that the reform package will be adopted surged up 13.7 percent, to 45 percent.

52 percent of respondents believe that if the reform package can’t be passed relations between Beijing and Hong Kong will further deteriorate.

Pan-Democratic Party meeting

Government “political reform trio” leader Chief Secretary for Administration Carrie Lam met on Monday June 8, 2015 with Labor Party chairman Lee Cheuk-yan and Neighbourhood and Workers Service Centre of the Legislative Council Leung Yiu-chung.

Lee Cheuk-yan said after the meeting that in order to benefit “people’s livelihood” he will veto the reform package, in order to recover “Hong Kong people’s dignity.” He said “We need to say to the world, Hong Kong doesn’t want sham universal suffrage.”

Legislative Council member Joseph Lee representing the medical services sector said he would not change his opposition to “sham elections.”

It’s reported that, although the chance of the reform package passing the Legislative Council is very small, Secretary Lam continues to meet with different Pan-Democratic Party members to try to achieve a final result.