Former HK deputy criticizes Donald Tsang in open letter

Hong Kong's popular former deputy Anson Chan (陳方安生)criticized the city's leader in an open letter yesterday, saying his proposals for democratic reform did not reflect pre-election promises.

Chief Executive Donald Tsang (曾蔭權) last month unveiled a long-awaited green paper on political reform, which offers various options on how the former British colony might elect its leaders and lawmakers in the future.

But in an open letter to the South China Morning Post, Chan, who has called for universal suffrage in the territory by 2012, criticized Tsang and his proposals, which were a centerpiece of his recent election victory.

green paper

"The green paper does not reflect the public pledge you made ... to place before the community three possible models for attainment of universal suffrage for the election of the chief executive and all Legislative Council members," Chan said in the letter. "Nor is there any mention of your pledge that, following consultation, you would be prepared to recommend to the central government any model which attracted a minimum of 60 percent public support."

Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Secretary Stephen Lam (林瑞麟) defended the process.

"The publication of the green paper marks the delivery of the chief executive's electoral promise," he said in a letter also published in the Post.