HONG KONG
Hong Kong’s chief executive CY Leung has urged residents to vote pro-democracy lawmakers out of the territory's semi-representative legislature, drawing criticism from opposition members.
Local media reported Thursday that Leung marked the third anniversary of his appointment by saying that legislators who backed last year’s protests or delayed major projects with filibusters in the Legislative Council should be punished.
"The Legco election will take place some time in the third quarter of next year. Go to the polling stations. Vote them out," he said, according to The Standard, which characterized his remarks as an "all-out declaration of war" against pan-democrats.
The speech at an investment conference came as the government continues to struggle in gathering support for its electoral reform package, seen as "North Korean-style democracy" by democracy activists.
Last year's protests had called for a fully democratic chief executive election with open nominations in 2017, and were a response to the Chinese government’s decision to impose a condition that a body loyal to Beijing first approves the candidates.
The government needs a two-thirds majority in the Council to pass the package, which is expected to be presented to lawmakers for a vote in June or July.
Pro-democracy lawmakers hold 27 seats in the 70-seat chamber of the Legislative Council, half of which is directly elected by voters in geographical constituencies.
"Will Occupy resurrect itself? The Hong Kong government always maintains its preparedness ... [And] I can say that the public, if ‘Occupy’ happens again, will not be sympathetic,” Leung said, according to the local edition of the state-run China Daily.
His remarks drew sharp rebukes from opposition lawmakers, with Democratic Party chairwoman Emily Lau saying Leung was not only trying to "pick a quarrel but looking for a fight."
"The chief executive is making very provocative and very ridiculous statements," she said, expressing her outrage. "On what basis is Leung qualified to ask voters to vote us out?"
Wong Kwok-kin of the Federation of Trade Unions, however, was cited by The Standard as saying the remarks were acceptable given the filibusters.
Leung also slammed the delaying tactics by some lawmakers that have successfully forced several items to be shelved.
"A handful of Legco members have been filibustering. They are delaying, for example, the implementation of infrastructure projects which we need, which we have budgeted for, which would do great things for the economy and society."
Authorities had shown restraint during the 79 days of street blockades, he said, adding that court injunctions had been filed when Hongkongers began to lose patience before the movement ultimately "burned itself out."
Leung also noted that police, not the Hong Kong garrison of the Chinese military, had dealt with the protests.
"Throughout the Occupy movement, the handling of the incident was left entirely to the Hong Kong police," he said, according to the South China Morning Post. "This was a reassuring sign, on the part of the central government, of the faith and confidence in the Hong Kong government and its police force."
Beijing has promised the former British colony democracy but its lack of haste in delivering on its pledge has seen Hongkongers, especially young ones, grow impatient and resort to increasingly radical protest methods.
