Low Voter Turnout in Hong Kong Spurs Government Propaganda, Calls to Trust Constitutional Plan in 2012

I just saw this commercial on the television today.

My jaw dropped because I really had no idea what the ad was about, until the very end. Take a look.

Government propaganda.

The ad was released this week, just a day after a failed by-election here in Hong Kong, in which five legislators asked the city’s residents to show their support for democratic reform.

There was a lot of noise as they campaigned on the streets, shouting into megaphones, handing out leaflets, and canvassing at dim sum restaurants in the morning hours.

Alas, there was not a lot of voting going on.

Just 17% of Hong Kong’s eligible voters came out, less than 600,000 people.

It was enough to get the five legislators, who hail from two pro-democracy parties, voted back into the Legislative Council.

But what a disappointment.

You can call it voter apathy, but to me, this is the latest example of how Hong Kong residents are becoming more complacent and too comfortable with the decisions made by Hong Kong officials in line with the mainland Chinese government.

As long as Hong Kong continues to have a steady economy, stronger political ties to China and the steady disintegration of civil liberties is fine by most.

It was also extremely disappointing that Hong Kong’s chief executive, Donald Tsang, made it a point not to vote in the by election. He stayed at home all day as a small group of the movement’s supporters rallied outside the estate.

The by election was co-ordinated. The five legislators had who stepped down from their elected positions in January, forcing a referendum. They called it a symbolic push for “electoral reform.”

Rita Fan Hsu Lai-tai, a member of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee told the Hong Kong Standard that the low turnout was a vote against confrontation:

“I think this should be something that all the politicians should think about. The end does not justify the means. … In Hong Kong, if you want to fight for democracy, you must use the right means, then the people will be with you.”

Of course, the organizers of the movement, hailed it a victory.

Audrey Eu, a spokesperson and one of the organizers of the movement, compared the voter turnout to the July 1 rally of 2003 when 500,000 marchers took to the streets to protest Article 23.

The Hong Kong government cannot ignore the result, she said.

But I think they can.

The five legislators and their supporters are protesting the government’s “constitutional plan” for 2012. Hong Kong officials have hailed the plan as a means to broaden the scope of political participation and incase democratic elements in the 2012 elections.

But members of the Democratic Party say otherwise. They argue the plan fails to bring in dual universal suffrage — for the elections of the Legislative Council and the Chief Executive — by 2012. They have demanded that the functional constituencies — a professional or special interest group involved in the electoral process — be abolished.

Eligible voters in a functional constituency may include persons as well as other designated legal entities such as organizations and corporations.

Al Jazeera has a succint video report on this:

…And a short but interesting exchange on comments on Youtube regarding the vote:

One Hong Kong resident seems to heed the government’s call to “trust” in them:

to say that I m disappointed at this demorcatic movement! We never had DEMOcracy UNDER British occupation! & I do not think imposing western system which is still at its infancy, to an ancient civilization like the Chinese would ever work! 5000 years of ups & downs, from dynasties to the cultural rev’ then Tian’men! China is a seasoned veteran in politics, policy & systems! I believe China is heading in the right direction & I have faith in it’s governing!

While another resident expresses disappointment: