SCMP: Former HK Chief Secretary David Akers-Jones - 香港少數人的"犯民"暴政可能會破壞政治改革 Tyranny of minority could derail political reform

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SCMP: Former HK Chief Secretary David Akers-Jones - 香港少數人的"犯民"暴政可能會破壞政治改革 Tyranny of minority could derail political reform

Former chief secretary also warns protests by Occupy Central could get out of hand - David Akers-Jones has lived in the city for 57 years. 

A "tyranny of the minority" in the Legislative Council could derail Hong Kong's political reform, former chief secretary David Akers-Jones warns.

Akers-Jones also said he considered the framework outlined by Beijing last month for the 2017 chief executive election to be "reasonable" and was "extremely concerned" that civil disobedience protests planned by the Occupy Central movement could get out of hand.

The 87-year-old colonial-era civil servant said he believed that before Beijing disclosed its tough framework - with two or three candidates going to popular vote after being backed by a majority of a 1,200-member nominating committee - the government could have secured the two-thirds majority of lawmakers required to pass the reforms.

But that would have required the support of five pan-democrats, all of whom are now pledging to veto the reforms.

"Five out of 70 can put a stop to it … exercising tyrannical power," Akers-Jones said, speaking exclusively to the South China Morning Post.

"Is that democracy? Are they acting fairly and in [Hongkongers'] interests?"

He urged the five to think clearly about the "serious implications for the future" when they decided how to vote. If the 2017 reforms were vetoed, the ultimate goal of a fully elected Legco would also be put on hold.

"If there is no change, then we are stuck until 2020," he said. "How do we get on to the next promise of a fully elected Legco?"

Akers-Jones, a strong supporter of Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, declined to name democrats he thought might cross the floor. But non-affiliated lawmakers in the functional constituencies and members of the Democratic Party have been considered as the government's main lobbying targets.

The tougher-than-expected framework given by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress for the next round of consultation on the reforms angered pan-democrats, while Occupy Central campaigners said they would stage a sit-in to block roads in the business hub as part of its movement for full democracy.

But Akers-Jones felt it was a "reasonable" framework because every country had "natural expectations" of its politicians and citizens to show allegiance. He said "it must be at the back of [Beijing's] minds what sort of people are going to be elected".

He called for aspirants to the top job to promise the city's capitalist system would remain unchanged and not to advocate policies contrary to the Basic Law, in order to provide some comfort to Beijing.

Akers-Jones, who has lived in Hong Kong for 57 years, said he was "extremely concerned about" the Occupy movement.

"We are not talking about 500 people, but several thousand … and there will also be demonstrations against demonstrations, and it might get out of control," he said, while also expressing worry about class boycotts in universities and secondary schools.

Akers-Jones said governance was expected to be difficult regardless of whether the reforms were vetoed.

"Administratively, it can't be more difficult," he said, with the city preparing for a fresh election towards the end of Leung's term of office. "If it is vetoed, all the preparation for the fresh election will have to change."

Last week, the foreign ministry in Beijing warned British lawmakers to stay out of the city's affairs after they launched an inquiry on the implementation of the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration.

Akers-Jones said it was "natural" for the British MPs to ask questions on how the declaration had been implemented, because of the long history between the city and the former colonial power. "It is very difficult to stop them," he said.

The MPs could inquire on every aspect - including the city's political, social, economic and education systems - stipulated in the annex of the declaration. He said the Hong Kong and Beijing governments had complied with the joint declaration so far.