Source: Ming Pao

Ming Pao Society Review

The government announced the regional council reorganization plan, resumed the appointment seat, and the proportion of direct elections was greatly reduced to 20 %.In the past, the district parliament did have problems such as pan -politicalization and the interests of the regional ego.After the anti -repair storm, the central government implemented the Patriot to govern Hong Kong. The plan proposed by the SAR Government on the one hand will "restore" the district council as a consultation organization in non -political regions.Directly cut the seats, excessive tightening, it is unnecessary.The district council reorganization plan, strengthening the administrative leadership of the SAR, the commissioner of civil affairs, and the power of the "regional three sessions" appointed by the government, and the official proposed the introduction of district members' performance supervision system, hoping to strengthen accountability and transparency.It also needs to pay attention to whether the district councilor wants to speak freely.

Qualification Examination Powerful Customs

The more open the district council is, the better

The Chief Executive Li Jiachao's preview of the three principles of the district council last week, including the first place in the national security, the district council should go to politics, and return to the "non -political regional consultation organization" attribute mentioned in Article 97 of the Basic Law; regional governanceThe patriot must be controlled to ensure the effective governance of the SAR; strengthen the regional governance structure, reflect administrative leadership, and strengthen regional mobilization capabilities.According to the reorganization plan announced yesterday, the total number of members of the next district council is 470, which is similar to the current. In terms of composition, it is elected by the government appointed, the regional committee, and the direct election of the region., Coupled with 27, of course.In order to ensure the national security and the principle of governing the country by patriots, the district council will introduce the qualification review system. No matter what channels from becoming a district member, they must first pass the qualification review mechanism.

In the past 40 years, the composition and functions of the district council have evolved. The general direction is that the proportion of elected seats has continued to increase and the functions have continued to expand.The reorganization of the district parliament is objectively reversing the previous development trends.The district council not only restored the appointment seat, but also the most proportion, reaching 179 seats; three regional committees (division committees, fire prevention committees, and crime committees, referred to as "three sessions").The seats have been greatly reduced to 88 seats, which is lower than the proportion of election components in the first district council.In addition, the chairman of the 18th District Council will be appointed by the civil affairs commissioners of each district, and it can also be regarded as a resumption of officials at a certain extent.In terms of functions and power, after the central amendment of the SAR election system, the district council has no power to elect the Legislative Council and the Chief Executive. Under the new plan, the district council will no longer have the function of managing or approved funding. It is simply a regional consultation organization.

The government explains the reorganization decision. On the one hand, it is emphasized that the system must be blocked from the system to prevent the district council from becoming a "black storm", "Hong Kong independence" and "stir -fry" platform again.According to the way, the government can collect opinions through different channels to consider regional issues more three -dimensional. At the same time, it also helps to correct the current system. District councilors are easily preferred by politics and populism, and the interests of the interests of small constituencies are prioritized.The information conveyed by the government is that the plan is formulated in recent years due to the actual situation in Hong Kong in recent years. It is not "back to the past". The election seats do not reflect the "only way" of public opinion.

In the past six or seven years, the right -wing populist politics swept the West and derives many problems. What is ideal democracy and people around the world have discussed.The SAR government's reorganization of the district council will take the "correction of chaos in the past" as an important foothold. Public politicalization will no longer be again, but new systems can also derive new problems.If the full -scale election is the highest and most open arrangement of public participation, 80 % of the district councilors are now appointed by the government, or the "three meetings" appointed by the government.Decisive facts.

The government said here that I hope to listen to more opinions, and on the other side, there is a power of appointment. Whether the district councilors will dare to criticize and tell the opinions of other government positions, it will be careless.The patriot governs Hong Kong. According to the new plan, before anyone becomes a district member, they must pass the qualification review, as well as the oath and other arrangements. Politics has been very strict.After the restructuring, it has returned to the attributes of the "non -governmental area consultation organization". Since the consultation is to hear opinions, the public participation and openness are naturally higher and better.The election component has fallen to only 20 %, and the political tightening is overly necessary.

Since the return, a major direction of Hong Kong's political development is decentralization and checks and balances. Over time, the SAR government has faced more and more political resistance or vested interests.Strengthening administrative leadership and re -centralization of power is the development direction of these two or three years. The latest announcement of regional governance and district council reorganization plan also highlights this.The government will set up the "Regional Governance Leading Committee" and the "Regional Governance Specialty Group", which will be held by the Deputy Director of the Department of Government Affairs and work in the region. After reshaping the district council, a large role is to assist the officials to master regional pulse and cooperate with government governance.In addition to expanding the functions and political influence of the "Three Meetings", the new plan is the chairman of the district councils by civil affairs, which greatly increases the government's leading role in the district council.

centralization of administrative leadership

The accountability mechanism is to be clarified

The appointment of the

District Council has increased greatly, and the Civil Affairs Commissioner is the chairman. If the work is not done well, the government has no responsibility.The new plan proposes to introduce the supervision system of district councilors. Strictly speaking, it is not a mechanism for public supervision or power checks and balances. Instead, the government as an appointed mechanism to follow up.The Minqing Bureau is responsible for formulating administrative guidelines to list the list of "negative behaviors".The district council can no longer become a platform for publicity in Hong Kong independence, but if the so -called "negative behavior" list is too strict, it may also over -restrict the expression of district members, which hinders the expression of criticism.The election of the district council has greatly reduced, and the full -time members are likely to be significantly reduced. It is necessary to cover the attendance rate of members of the membership.If the new district council is often absent, the public must question whether it is still worth spending so much salary and funding for district members.