PRESS RELEASE 14 September 1998 Democratic Party Legislators Meet Chief Executive C.H. Tung: Press for Swifter Democratization and Explanation of Markets Intervention Democratic Party legislators today met with Chief Executive C.H. Tung for the first time since the May elections in which the Democratic Party was re-elected to the Legislative Council.  Party Chairman, Martin Lee, Vice Chairman Yeung Sum and legislators Albert Ho, Fred Li, Lau Chin Shek and Andrew Cheng urged Mr. Tung to accelerate the timetable for direct elections to the Legislative Council and for the post of Chief Executive.  Party Chairman Lee said the May elections, with their historic voter turn out, were a major success for Hong Kong.  Mr. Lee expressed his disappointment that Mr. Tung did not seize the election results as a "golden opportunity" to press for swifter democratization.  On a related matter, the legislators criticized the proposed abolition of Hong Kong’s municipal councils, the abolition of the councils and reassignment of their responsibilities to government departments would be a significant setback to representative government. The legislators told Mr. Tung they were unsatisfied with the administration's explanations on its intervention in the financial markets, and questioned Mr. Tung as to why his administration had failed to act sooner to implement necessary regulations in consultation with the Legislative Council.  The Democrats also expressed their concerns regarding the intervention's negative impact on Hong Kong's international image as a financial center. In addition, the legislators urged Mr. Tung to make himself more accountable to the people of Hong Kong by visiting the Legislative Council more frequently and holding more regular meetings with the Democratic Party.  The last time Mr. Tung met with the Democratic Party was January 16, 1998. *****

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