Chief Executive CY Leung has expressed hope that the community would actively express its views in the second public consultation on political reform and engage in rational and pragmatic discussions in a lawful manner.
In a statement issued today, Mr Leung said that it is the common aspiration of the Central Authorities, the Hong Kong Government and the public at large to implement universal suffrage for selecting the Chief Executive by one person, one vote.
To achieve genuine universal suffrage, it must comply with the Basic Law and the decision of the National People's Congress Standing Committee adopted on August 31 last year, he added.
The Chief Executive also pointed out that the illegal occupation over the past few months did nothing to take forward universal suffrage, but undermined the rule of law and had torn apart the community. He hopes that this round of public consultation could be conducted in a peaceful and rational manner.
Mr Leung noted that some legislators had decided to boycott the consultation and vote down any proposal on universal suffrage submitted by the Government, but he stressed that moving forward is always better than standing still, while urging them not to hastily deprive the 5 million eligible voters' of their opportunity to select the Chief Executive.
