A newly formed coalition of Hong Kong political and non-political groups said Sunday a second term in office for unpopular Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa next year would spell disaster for the territory.
Pro-democracy legislators, trade unionists, teachers and mainland Chinese seeking right of abode joined forces to accuse Tung of mismanaging the economy and destroying confidence in Hong Kong's future.
They claimed a second five years as Hong Kong's leader would be disastrous, local radio reported.
Convenor of the coalition, legislator Emily Lau of the pro-democracy Frontier Party, said at a news conference that many businesspeople and legislators were opposed to Tung seeking a new term.
"Many Hong Kong people are very dissatisfied with Tung but they dare not come out with what they think because they are afraid of their business interests being jeopardised.
"But I think that many of them in the business community, in the political arena, professionals, the administrators ... many of them are very disatisfied with him," said Lau.
Tung, appointed by China to run Hong Kong after its reversion from British rule in 1997, has been under attack in recent months over the moribund state of the economy.
He has yet to declare whether he will seek another term in March but has dropped hints that he will do so, despite the opposition.
Top Chinese leaders gave their blessing to a second Tung term earlier this year in a signal that enraged pro-democracy activists here.
The decision on the next chief executive will be taken by a specially appointed panel, ostensibly drawn from different social groups, including the business community and trade unions, but in reality controlled by Beijing.
The chief executive heads up a powerfully executive government over which a partially-elected legislature exercises limited control.
A recent government survey showed public confidence in the administration had plummeted to its lowest level since 1997 with 61 percent of 1,406 respondents voicing dissatisfaction -- AFP
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
