South China Morning Post
January 7, 2005

HEADLINE: People's Party vows to fight for universal suffrage


BODY:
A new political party targeting the middle class is vowing to fight for the introduction of universal suffrage by 2012 and to never become another pro -government party.

The People's Party intends to hold the first meeting of its central committee, made up of more than 40 members, at the end of next month.

A launching ceremony is scheduled for the end of March and it is understood that several legislators with a middle-class background are likely to join the party.

About 600 people, including businesspeople and professionals from the medical, legal and financial services sectors, have joined since the party was registered in November.

A party source said the group hoped to recruit 1,000 members in March. "We are confident that our membership will soar to between 3,000 and 4,000 in a year," the source said. It would have the biggest membership of any party if it achieved the target.

The party has 10 founders, including the former chief of Asia Television, Feng Xiaoping, the general manager of the Bank of China Hong Kong (Holdings), Lo Chung-hing, former chairman of the Conservancy Association Laurie Wan Sek-luen and a Hong Kong deputy to the National People's Congress, Kan Fook-yee.

Other prominent members include Hang Fung Gold Technology chairman Lam Sai -wing, City University law lecturer Prisciilla Leung Mei-fun and retired director of civil aviation Peter Lok Kung-nam.

The party source said there was a wide political spectrum among the members, with several coming from pro-Taiwan groups. "We position ourselves as a moderate group. Some pro-democracy academics have agreed to serve as our advisers," the source said.

"Achieving universal suffrage in 2012 is a reasonable target in the wake of Beijing's rejection of full democracy by 2007," the party's platform states.

The source said the group would not become a pro-government party similar to the Democratic Alliance for Betterment of Hong Kong, adding that the driving force behind the party was the public's grievances with the government.

"We came together because none of the existing parties can fully reflect the aspirations of the middle class," the source said.