The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government’s decision in 2021 to require district councilors to take an oath to uphold the Basic Law and pledge allegiance to the SAR has resulted in the disqualification of a multitude of the newly elected who intended to advance a malicious anti-China and anti-government political agenda within communities, leaving the current district councils incomplete and unable to fulfill their duties. This has prompted calls for a reform.
The dysfunction, and sometimes politicization, of the current district councils reflects the loopholes in the one-person-one-vote electoral system, and it is necessary to introduce reforms that include appointed and indirectly elected seats in addition to direct elections in order to achieve good governance at the district level. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s announcement of a detailed plan to overhaul the city’s district councils received a thumbs-up from the patriot groups, who believe that the shake-up will serve residents best through keeping the SAR government abreast of the latest developments at the district level.
Looking back on the district council elections in 2003, many directly elected district councilors were elected based solely on their political stance and subsequently neglected local affairs, leaving residents in need with limited, if not zero, resources for community support. The situation in 2019 was even more pronounced; with anti-China and anti-SAR government politicians using their political stunts to win seats, the opposition camp dominated 17 district councils and turned the local administrative bodies, which are meant to address residents’ needs, into their handy tools for their political maneuvers. Even after being sworn in, the councilors from the opposition camp continued to participate in illegal gatherings, disseminate the personal information of police officers on social media, advocate for “independence”, and even obstructed government officials as they attempted to leave meeting rooms, all the while promoting hatred and violence through slogans. Meanwhile, funding for initiatives that benefit livelihoods and the community was deliberately hindered. It is evident that the loopholes in the one-person-one-vote electoral system for district councils have allowed individuals with ill intentions to pave their way into the councils and to pander to populism.
I believe the new arrangement will ensure public order and promote the balanced development of various industries and professions in Hong Kong at the district level
In order to prevent a recurrence of such chaos, reform is needed of the district councils to accommodate diverse voices and achieve good governance. The SAR government’s reform proposals refer to the direction of the Legislative Council elections after the improvement of the electoral system. The district council reform follows the pattern of the revamped electoral system. The seats in LegCo were divided into three sectors, with seats generated through the Geographical Constituencies, Functional Constituencies, and Election Committee Constituencies. Similarly, in the district councils, seats are divided into three categories — those returned by direct and indirect elections, and those appointed by the chief executive.
For the directly elected portion of seats in future district council elections, it was suggested that they should account for 20 percent of all seats, roughly equivalent to the proportion of directly elected seats in the current LegCo elections. The chief executive has adopted the suggestion. The inner logic for the arrangement stems from the fact that, previously, the geographical scope of district council constituencies was too small, with an average of only about 10,000 voters per constituency, which led to an excessive focus on local views and disregard for the overall development of the broader community in Hong Kong. District councils were reportedly embroiled in debates over which district a bus stop should belong to. Therefore, the integration of the constituency delimitation is deemed to be a wise solution to improve the local administrative functions without sacrificing a holistic view.
As for the seats returned by indirect elections, it was suggested that they should be allocated to Functional Constituencies, such as professional sectors, to ensure that a wide range of voices and interests are represented in the district councils. The announcement echoed the suggestion, and I believe the new arrangement will ensure public order and promote the balanced development of various industries and professions in Hong Kong at the district level.
In conclusion, reforming the district council by introducing a mix of direct (19 percent) and indirect elections (37 percent), coupled with the appointed seats (38 percent), will help address the existing loopholes and ensure good governance in local administration. By accommodating diverse voices and perspectives, Hong Kong can strive towards a more inclusive and effective district council system that truly serves the needs and aspirations of its citizens.
The author is co-convener of China Retold, a Legislative Council member, and a member of the Central Committee of the New People’s Party.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
