The Democratic Party (DP) Monday urged Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa to disclose the content of a report on Hong Kong's political reform and consult the public before he submits it to the country's top legislature.

According to the interpretation by the National People's Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC), the chief executive shall submit the report to the NPCSC if there is a need to amend the methods for the election of the chief executive and the formation of the Legislative Council from 2007/2008.

DP Chairman Yeung Sum suggested Monday that Tung should first release his report and solicit public views on the matter before submitting to the central authorities "to make the report transparent".

In addition, the DP said that the report should not contain additional restrictions to hinder constitutional development and possible universal suffrage in 2007/08.

However, Yip Kwok-him, vice-chairman of the Democratic Alliance for Betterment of Hong Kong (DAB), said Monday that there was no need to consult the public on the report although agreed that it should be disclosed.

Local NPC deputy Lau Pui-king echoed Yip's views. "The chief executive's report to the NPCSC is to declare whether there is a need for changes, which I believe will not contain detailed proposals," Lau told China Daily.

She believed Tung's report would be based on reports delivered by the Constitutional Development Task Force, which had already collected the public's views extensively.

The task force has met more than 80 organizations and individuals to listen to their views on the city's political reform process.

Chief Secretary Donald Tsang, who heads the task force, said earlier that the majority of the community seemed to be inclined to agree on the need for some changes to the electoral methods after 2007.

As for the DP's suggestion that Tung's report should not contain any constraint related to political reform, Lau said: "Whether there is a need for change is not simply a yes-or-no question."

She estimated that Tung's report would set up a framework on the city's constitutional development.

It is understood that the task force will submit its second report on the political reform process to the chief executive this week, which will respond to whether there is a need for changes to electoral methods.

(China Daily HK Edition April 13, 2004)