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The Legislative Council budget debate ground to a halt for the third time in as many weeks as too few lawmakers were present in the chamber on Friday, threatening not just to delay approval for public spending but also to add to the backlog of bills to be passed.
The meeting was scheduled to start at 9am, but People Power lawmaker Raymond Chan Chi-chuen called for a quorum in an attempt to filibuster the government blueprint, which his party claimed neglected the needs of the city’s poor.
The meeting was adjourned at about 9.15am as only 29 lawmakers, including five pan-democrats, were in attendance – six short of the 35 required.
Hong Kong Legislative Council budget debate adjourned as not enough lawmakers present in chamber
But Legco president Jasper Tsang Yok-sing maintained that the adjournment would not stop lawmakers from voting on the budget by next Friday, unless next week’s meeting also came to a halt.
Compared to the budget bill, it was understood that the government and the pro-establishment camp were more concerned about a backlog of other important bills that would lapse unless lawmakers voted on them before the summer break in two months.
The list includes bills to turn the Institute of Education into the city’s 10th university, to allow the government to run the Eastern Harbour Crossing after its franchise expires this year, and to implement the tax rebates and waivers announced in the budget.
Tsang said that apart from their weekly council meeting from Wednesday to Friday, lawmakers might need to meet on Mondays and Tuesdays as well in June and July to deal with the backlog.
Legco budget talks collapse for a second time
Tsang said the meeting on Friday morning was originally scheduled for more than 10 pan-democrats, who had moved about 400 amendments, to speak and for three ministers to respond.
“Only two of those pan-democrats were there this morning ... It seems that they don’t want to speak, so I won’t spare any more time for them. Unless the government ministers want to speak on the coming Wednesday ... I will ask the lawmakers to start voting on our colleagues’ amendments next week,” he said.
Chan said he expected the adjournment to take place as the pro-establishment camp knew they would vote on the budget next week anyway. However pro-establishment heavyweight Tam Yiu-chung said: “Adjournments are not good for Legco’s image ... but the pan-democrats are making trouble.”
(SCMP)
