Hong Kong District Council reform ‘destroys final bastion of democracy,’ Paul Zimmerman says, will not stand again
Hong Kong Free Press
A veteran Hong Kong District Councillor has said that he will not run for the next term following the government’s plan to restrict democratically-elected seats, saying the reform would “destroy the final bastion of democracy” in the city and result in “a loss for everyone.”
Paul Zimmerman, the chairperson of the Southern District Council representing the Pok Fu Lam constituency, announced in a newsletter to residents on Wednesday that he would “step back” when the current term finishes at the end of the year.
“Future district councils will constitute primarily of members appointed by government or elected from and by a small circle created by government,” he wrote. “Even the few direct-elected councillors will require nominations from government appointed committees, instead of just the local electorate.”
“This is worse than I expected,” he continued, adding that the District Councils’ chairperson will be a government official under the Home Affairs Department instead of a District Councillor elected by fellow council members.
The government announced on Tuesday that the District Council polls would be reformed to prevent people from “hijacking, manipulating [and] paralysing” the local district bodies. The pro-democracy camp saw a landslide victory in elections held in 2019 amid protests and unrest against an amendment to the city’s extradition bill.
Currently, apart from the 27 seats reserved for rural committee chairmen who represent indigenous villagers, all 479 District Council seats were elected by the public.
“It will not only destroy the final bastion of democracy in Hong Kong, it is ultimately a loss for everyone – the public, the city, and the government at all levels,” Zimmerman wrote.
“The changes announced will limit the ability of government to genuinely read and respond to the needs and desires of the public.”
The Democratic Party, Hong Kong’s largest pro-democracy party, slammed the reform and expressed concern that the new district bodies would be unfamiliar with neighbourhood affairs and lack a connection with residents.
Zimmerman said in his newsletter that he would be 65 at the end of the year. “It will be a good time to step back,” he added.
Going forward, the veteran District Councillor said he would focus on other community projects including Designing Hong Kong, a sustainability non-profit he founded, and the government advisory body Harbourfront Commission which he is a member of.
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