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Following is the transcript of the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Stephen Lam's answers to questions raised by the media after attending a Sha Tin District Council meeting this afternoon (May 20):
Reporter: What does the Government want to achieve through this debate?
Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs: We hope that through inviting Ms Audrey Eu, who is the principal spokesman for the resignation movement and the by-election of the Civic Party and the League of Social Democrats, to this debate, the Hong Kong community will understand the importance of making progress in our electoral system in 2012 so as to pave the way for universal suffrage to be implemented for the Chief Executive in 2017 and thereafter for the Legislative Council in 2020. The mainstream opinion in our community is that Hong Kong's democracy should take a step forward in 2012 and do not come to a standstill.
Reporter: Are you confident that the Government can get more public support through this debate?
Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs: On the part of the Government, we will try our very best between now and the voting on the proposals we have put forth for 2012 to secure a higher level of public support, and of course also within the Legislative Council to secure two-thirds majority support from among Members. Thank you very much.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Thursday, May 20, 2010
Issued at HKT 20:42
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