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Hong Kong, Jan 11 (AFP) A group of Hong Kong opposition lawmakers are to quit this month in a protest aimed at drawing attention to the pace of democratic reforms in the city, party officials said today.

Five of 23 pro-democracy politicians are to give up their seats in the former British colony's 60-seat legislature in the hope of speeding up progress towards direct elections, said Civic Party Secretary General Kenneth Chan.

They hope that by resigning they can force by-elections that will become a de-facto referendum on the controversial issue, two months after critics lashed out at the latest blueprint for direct polls.

At present, only half of Hong Kong's legislature is directly elected while a largely pro-Beijing committee effectively controls the selection of the remainder and appoints the city's chief executive.

"This is a very critical moment as far as the democracy movement is concerned," Chan told reporters.

STAFF WRITER 0:27 HRS IST

Jan 11, 2010

Source: www.ptinews.com