By Chris Yeung
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” The traditional wisdom of the pre-1997 colonial government may no longer be the “one-size-fits-all” approach in governance in 2016 Hong Kong.
But a brewing row over an abrupt change to election rules targeted at Legco election candidates who advocate independence announced on the eve of the beginning of nomination on Saturday shows the move to tinker with the rules is an act of playing with fire.
More damaging is it risks tarnishing the image and hard-earned reputation of elections in Hong Kong as being fair, open and just. It stokes fears that the surprise rule change is part of Beijing’s intensified and explicit attempt to suppress the growth of pro-independence advocacy in the SAR.
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