The basic maths behind the statement cannot be refuted: 60 is two-thirds of 90. Even though Fan didn’t bring up the topic herself – she was asked the question by the host during a radio show – it was shocking that a political veteran of her calibre would suggest considering the reduction of Legco seats to cut costs.
Funding is not the main issue at play here. Reducing the discussion to dollars and cents does not properly address the real problem, which is public perception.
First, a quick breakdown of how we arrived at the current number of Legco seats. The legislature expanded from 60 to 70 seats for the 2012-16 term. This was part of the 2010 constitutional and electoral reform package, which also increased the number of Election Committee members from 800 to 1,200.