Hong Kong Vetoes China-Backed Electoral Reform Proposal After Accidental Walkout

[jimmy olsen]

 Hilarious

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/06/18/us-hongkong-politics-idUSKBN0OY06320150618

Mystery walk-out in Hong Kong vote brings heavy defeat for Beijing

HONG KONG  |  By James Pomfret and Clare Baldwin

It was meant to be a major set-piece event, potentially the most important bill put to Hong Kong's legislature since the former British colony's 1997 handover to Chinese rule, but it ended in unscripted embarrassment for the pro-Beijing establishment.

For almost 20 months, lawmakers and officials in the financial hub tussled over a China-vetted electoral reform package that needed a two-thirds majority from the 70-seat chamber to pass.

The blueprint would have given every Hong Kong citizen a vote for the city's next leader in an election in 2017, but with only pre-screened, pro-Beijing candidates on the ballot.

The Legislative Council's 27 pro-democracy lawmakers had vowed to vote it down, while the remaining pro-Beijing lawmakers pledged to back it.

Over several minutes on Thursday, however, what was expected to be a carefully choreographed vote unravelled.

As the chamber chime began sounding for members to deliberate before casting their ballots, pro-Beijing lawmaker Jeffrey Lam requested a 15-minute delay, a request that was rejected by council president Jasper Tsang.

Soon afterwards, scores of pro-Beijing lawmakers abruptly walked out of the chamber, catching many by surprise.

"Because it came so suddenly our communication wasn't very good and there may have been some misunderstandings," said the head of the DAB, Hong Kong's largest pro-establishment party, Tam Yiu-chung.

"People wondered why we were walking out so some problems emerged. I myself have responsibility ... that a problem like this happened is something I deeply regret."

With most of the pro-Beijing lawmakers absent, the vote went ahead, with 28 votes against the package, and only eight for it, dealing a crushing symbolic defeat for the Beijing-backed plan.

Pro-Beijing lawmakers said afterwards that the walkout had been because one of their number, Lau Wong-fat, had taken ill, and his colleagues left to try to delay the vote to allow him to return. But a lack of co-ordination meant eight pro-Beijing lawmakers lingered in the chamber, meaning there were still enough legislators present for a quorum and the vote went ahead.

"It wasn't planned. It was just an accident," pro-establishment lawmaker Abraham Shek said of the walk-out. "Somehow the others didn't realize what we were doing."


UNCOMFORTABLE DEFEAT

Hong Kong's leader, Leung Chun-ying, when questioned about the walkout, repeatedly denied that some pro-establishment lawmakers may have wavered in their support for the package, saying their backing of electoral reforms had been steadfast.

While the unanimous opposition of the democrats in vetoing the package meant the result was not in doubt - the landslide defeat by 28 votes to 8 was an uncomfortable rebuff for Beijing's Communist Party leaders unused to such reversals.

It was a rare instance of a local-level legislature voting so heavily against a proposal endorsed by China's national legislature, The National People's Congress.

Political analyst Johnny Lau, who has close ties with several pro-Beijing politicians, said a few had expressed privately to him they were considering abstaining to bolster their prospects in the next city-wide legislative polls.

"Some of them told me that they planned this before. They were thinking about the legislative elections next year," Lau said in a telephone interview. "If they voted for the plan, then the democrats could use this as a reason to attack them, so they didn't want to leave a record."

Visibly subdued, pro-Beijing lawmakers told a news conference afterwards that they had already met with a deputy director of China's representative office in the city, the Liaison Office, to offer an explanation for the walk-out.

"If I were the China Liaison Office I wouldn't be happy either," said pro-establishment lawmaker and a Hong Kong deputy to China's parliament, Michael Tien. "But what can they do? They will definitely not be happy."

[Valmy]

Um they couldn't just go back in and tell the other eight guys they had to leave as well? Are the doors to leave the chamber one way or something?

[Monoriu]

I have talked about this in my thread already.  I am too sad to repeat them here.  Suffice to say the rest of the world is right to laugh at Hong Kong for our stupidity and incompetence. 

[Monoriu]

Um they couldn't just go back in and tell the other eight guys they had to leave as well? Are the doors to leave the chamber one way or something?

The doors are open, of course.  The problem is the 32 dudes left just seconds before they were due to press the buttons, and there are deep personal problems between that bunch and 5 of the 8 legislators who stayed. 

[Tonitrus]

"If I were the China Liaison Office I wouldn't be happy either," said pro-establishment lawmaker and a Hong Kong deputy to China's parliament, Michael Tien. "But what can they do? They will definitely not be happy."

[/quote]

[Monoriu]

A proposal to reform Hong Kong's electoral system has been vetoed.

On 18 June Hong Kong's Legislative Council members voted on a proposal put forward by the Hong Kong government for a new electoral system for future Chief Executive elections. The proposal did not receive the required two-thirds majority in the Legislative Council.

Speaking after the vote, FCO Minister of State Hugo Swire said:

"The UK is disappointed by the outcome of this electoral reform process. We continue to believe that a transition to universal suffrage is the best way to guarantee Hong Kong's stability and prosperity, and is in everyone's interest. We hope that a constructive dialogue on future reforms can be established, reflecting the aspirations of the people of Hong Kong and in accordance with the Basic Law."

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-response-to-hong-kong-vote-on-electoral-reform

[jimmy olsen]

Scandalous. If I was  British I'd  be  foaming at the mouth for his resignation.

[Valmy]

Harmless kissing up to China never hurts.

[Monoriu]

Scandalous. If I was  British I'd  be  foaming at the mouth for his resignation.

As a HKer, I thank Mr Hugo Swire for his rational and appropriate remarks 

[DGuller]

According to Wiki, the quorum is 35 out of 70 members.  So essentially the number of pro-Beijingers left was the bare minimum needed for quorum (plus one, I guess).  Seems a bit too convenient. 

[Monoriu]

According to Wiki, the quorum is 35 out of 70 members.  So essentially the number of pro-Beijingers left was the bare minimum needed for quorum (plus one, I guess).  Seems a bit too convenient. 

That's what I am afraid most.  Conspiracy theories fly, and Beijing will even start to doubt the loyalty of the pro-establishment legislators. 

It is a simple mix-up at the worst possible moment. 

[Martinus]

I have talked about this in my thread already.  I am too sad to repeat them here.  Suffice to say the rest of the world is right to laugh at Hong Kong for our stupidity and incompetence.

Is Mono that pathetic in person too or does he write this shit here because the Big Brother is reading all his posts?

[Monoriu]

I have talked about this in my thread already.  I am too sad to repeat them here.  Suffice to say the rest of the world is right to laugh at Hong Kong for our stupidity and incompetence.

Is Mono that pathetic in person too or does he write this shit here because the Big Brother is reading all his posts?

My opinions are my own. 

Poll after poll have shown that about half the population support Beijing's universal suffrage proposal, and the rest are against.  I am one of those who support, and I expect the legislators who represent me to vote for it.  It is important to put on record that half of us support it.  When my elected representatives fail at the simple task of showing up at the right place and time for a vote, I am saddened that the historical record will not be an accurate representation of the will of the population. 

[The Brain]

You get what you vote for.

[Monoriu]

You get what you vote for.

I did not vote

One more story: actually 9 pro-Beijing legislators stayed in the chamber, not 8.  The headlines say 8 because only 8 voted for Beijing's proposal.  The 9th guy?  He had the sense to stay in the chamber but was too petrified and scared to do anything.  So he just sat there to watch the disaster unfold, and didn't even realise that he should vote yes