Bold and pragmatic

Chief Executive CY Leung delivered his long-expected Policy Address on Wednesday. His speech was dominated by livelihood issues including economic development, poverty alleviation, elderly care, housing and environment protection. Among these areas, public housing and land supply were placed at the top of his policy agenda, or so-called "the priority of priorities."

CY should be applauded, not only for his practical approach of tackling a vexing array of problems in this city, but also for his determination and resilience in face of reckless attempts by the opposition to discredit him and his governing team. His willpower reminds us of a famous quote by Abraham Lincoln - "Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing."

As everyone can obviously see, just six months in office, Leung has rolled out quite a slew of policies and yielded positive results. We are confident that with a "3P style" - pragmatic, progressive and proactive, Leung and his team can take on more daunting challenges, grab opportunities that come our way, and persevere on the bumpy road ahead.

We can also foresee that the nitpicking opposition camp, or "the Party of No", will be busy finding fault with Leung's policies, because these politicians oppose for the sake of opposing. Therefore, it is wise for our fellow citizens to always bear in mind that this type of politicians do more harm than good.

As CY pointed out, Hong Kong has a raft of advantages: The people are hardworking, tenacious and earnest, with an enterprising, dedicated and law-abiding spirit. The civil service is highly efficient and clean. We have an independent judicial system, and excellent law and order. Hong Kong also has a distinct competitive edge: Cultural affinity and geographical proximity with the motherland and strong backing from the central government. In short, the overall environment in which we operate is highly favorable. So long as we can fully capitalize on these advantages, Hong Kong will be able, and more than able to thrive in a sustainable way.

In fact, the vast majority of Hong Kong people have recently forged a consensus: to bridge political divide, to narrow differences in a plural society, to show more patience, confidence and tolerance by allowing CY and his team more time to address the many thorny issues accumulated over the years. After all, these deep-seated, prolonged problems cannot be solved overnight. We believe this is the right way to improve the people' livelihood that will eventually serve Hong Kong's long term prosperity and stability.

(HK Edition 01/17/2013 page3)