PRESS RELEASE
January 9, 1999
Democratic Party Meets with Chief Executive; Criticizes Tung's Anti-Democracy Programme
In a lengthy meeting with Chief Executive C.H. Tung, Democratic Party Chairman Martin Lee and legislators Fred Li and James To criticized the Mr. Tung's anti-democracy programme. In a meeting lasting well over one hour, the Democrats pressed the Chief Executive specifically on his plans to add appointed members to the District Boards.
The meeting was the second time Democrats have met with Mr. Tung since the DP was returned to the Legislative Council in last May's elections.
Martin Lee commented:
"We told the Chief Executive that we adamantly oppose his administration's anti-democratic programme. His plan to abolish the Municipal Councils and dilute the District Boards with appointed members are precisely the worst way to proceed. Under Mr. Tung, Hong Kong is going backwards, and losing aspects of the limited democracy we already have. The contrast with other countries in the region, like Taiwan, is striking.
Unfortunately, Mr. Tung was not the least bit swayed by our conversation -- even though the Democratic Party, and indeed democracy, has the people's mandate. Mr. Tung doesn't believe in democracy, and it is no surprise that his administration is devoted to thwarting it in the local government institutions as well as in Legco."
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