The pro-establishment camp would be able to get half of the geographical constituencies in the Legislative Council after Beijing pass laws to overhaul electoral systems in Hong Kong, lawmaker Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee said.
Ip was speaking on a radio program, days ahead of the National People’s Congress is set to hammer out details regarding amendments on annexes 1 and 2 of the Basic Law next Monday and Tuesday.
She said she expected to see more new faces from the pro-democracy camp, as candidates would try to avoid disqualifications by a new vetting committee which would be granted the power to qualify or disqualify candidates before they reached out to the Election Committee.
The Executive Council member stressed that the revamp would not completely wipe out opposition voices in the legislature but would deter “radical candidates.”
“After two years into the pandemic, given the battered economy and high unemployment rate, I guess citizens are still resentful of the government,” said Ip, “I guess citizens would still vote for new candidates who are not from the pro-establishment camp, because they want someone to regulate the government.”
Under the electoral changes, a candidate qualification review committee will be established to pre-vet candidates not only the Legco but also the Chief Executive and the Election Committee.
Ip said the central government should appoint members of the vetting committee, as a conflict of interest might occur if members were chosen by the Chief Executive.
The government has further delayed the Legco election - originally scheduled to be held last September - until December, after election for the Election Committee in September.
She said she expected to see more new faces from the pro-democracy camp, as candidates would try to avoid disqualifications by a new vetting committee which would be granted the power to qualify or disqualify candidates before they reached out to the Election Committee.
The Executive Council member stressed that the revamp would not completely wipe out opposition voices in the legislature but would deter “radical candidates.”
“After two years into the pandemic, given the battered economy and high unemployment rate, I guess citizens are still resentful of the government,” said Ip, “I guess citizens would still vote for new candidates who are not from the pro-establishment camp, because they want someone to regulate the government.”
Under the electoral changes, a candidate qualification review committee will be established to pre-vet candidates not only the Legco but also the Chief Executive and the Election Committee.
Ip said the central government should appoint members of the vetting committee, as a conflict of interest might occur if members were chosen by the Chief Executive.
The government has further delayed the Legco election - originally scheduled to be held last September - until December, after election for the Election Committee in September.