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Change Your Life! |
Tung rejects call for more democracy amid string of problems |
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June 24, 2000
HONG KONG (AP) - Despite growing public dissatisfaction with unemployment, a depressed property market and a series of housing scandals, Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa said Friday he has no plans to allow more democracy.
"The election rules have been set out in the Basic Law," the territory's post-handover constitution, Tung told lawmakers in a fortnightly question-and-answer session. "We must follow the Basic Law."
Tung was elected by a 400-member, Beijing-selected committee after the territory returned from British to Chinese rule in July 1997. The Basic Law only allows political changes after 2007, although amendments are possible.
"The chief executive was not elected, and that's why we have no way of monitoring his performance," union leader and lawmaker Leung Yiu-chung told Tung.
As Hong Kong enters its fourth year under Chinese rule, the popularity of Tung and the government continues to plunge despite a stronger-than-expected economy recovery from a crippling 15-month recession.
Unemployment remains high, while property prices - an obsession in the land-strapped territory - are depressed, cutting the value of many citizens' lifelong investment.
Some homeowners and property developers want tougher measures to prop up the market, such as cutting the number of subsidized apartments for sale.
Tung reiterated Friday that the government would give lower-income families loans to buy housing and would lease - instead of sell - some subsidized flats, but did not say whether he would take further measures.
"A stable property market is especially important during the early stages of the economic recovery," Tung said. "We don't want to see property prices falling sharply, which would hurt consumer spending and slow the economic recovery."
The government also has been stung by a series of corruption scandals involving shoddy construction at public housing projects.
The legislature was to vote Wednesday on a no-confidence motion against the two housing chiefs, Rosanna Wong and Tony Miller.
Tung said he took personal responsibility for the scandals and urged lawmakers to not to force out the officials.
"If they leave at this critical stage, the top level would face an administrative and legal vacuum," Tung said.
Hong Kong is guaranteed a high level of autonomy under Sino-British handover agreements, but analysts say Tung might not have lived up to expectations.
Tung's performance "has shown that Hong Kong people cannot rule Hong Kong," said Sonny Lo, a political scientist at the University of Hong Kong.
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