Democracy in HK?

I am sure this is a hotly debated topic amongst Hongkongers....given that more than 500,000 people marched in a protest rally on "Handover Day" on the 1st of July....
I was fortunate to be in HK at that time.
 
Nope, I didn't join in the rally (I might have considered if it wasn't like one of the hottest days ever in HK, ie a sweltering 37 degrees!).

Did participate in spirit by watching and listening to them on a sheltered pedestrian flyover at Wanchai! Does that count?
 
So, is there democracy in HK?

Closely linked to this topic is the right to elect their chief executive/head.... Currently Beijing has the right to appoint the head, very much like what the Brits have done for ages...
 
So what's the problem?
I think there might be several underlying issues there... Something which could keep me occupied in HK when I am there...to find out more what possibly might those underlying issues be....(my thoughts are that there are quite possibly social issues involved too..) Anyone who has an insight/insights, do let me know... =)
 
Another issue is the Basic Law. I am not an expert in political law nor political system, but I can see how possibly the Basic Law can be used by Beijing CCP to manipulate the HK system.
But I don't think that the Beijing CCP authority would do that...
 
Why would they want to undermine a working model, a model which they could use to show Taiwanese? And why would they want to make HK unstable, as there will be an outflux of FDI?
 
I believe that the current chinese govt up in Beijing are very much focused on economic growth, so much so that they have neglected the social growth and social divide of the country. (This will definitely be another blog topic...) They don't want to jeopadize any outflow of FDI...
 
Back to HK....
 
However I can sense the frustrations of the normal HK people.
They are perhaps used to having a free rein, and the lack of the "visible hand", so much so that when constraints are set upon them, they feel bound and constricted...
 
Just my 2 cents of thoughts today....
 
More later....I am too exhausted now.
Need to go sleep as I just got back to Malaysia from HK.
Will be heading to Marilyn's wedding tomorrow!
Horror! Nothing to wear!
 

Democracy March in HK