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December 18, 2014

Know your worst legislators and why they don’t measure up

Lau Wong-fat (left), Leung Ka-lau (top right) and DAB Legislator Ho Chun-yin (bottom) are among the worst of the lot, according to a survey. Photo: HKEJ

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Know your worst legislators and why they don’t measure up

Hong Kong’s worst legislator this year did not file a single motion or amendment and was not always around to vote.

Two others had the poorest attendance record and lackluster participation, Apple Daily reported Thursday, citing a survey by a Catholic group.

Heung Yee Kuk chairman Lau Wong-fat topped the list of worst performers, having done little to advance the legislative agenda.

He was absent from the chamber 12 times, eclipsed only by Leung Ka-lau from the medical constituency who clocked up 24 no-shows.

Pro-Beijing legislator Ho Chun-yin missed the roll call once but failed to vote on a bill or motion 28 times, the report said. 

The survey was conducted by Catholic Monitors on Legislative Councilors.

It found that Lau failed to vote on a bill or motion 116 times against Leung’s 85.

The ranking was based on a demerit system, with three demerit points going to Leung for a spotty attendance record and poor participation.

Ho received three demerits for not moving a single bill or motion. 

Catholic Monitors criticized seven lawmakers for zero output – Christopher Chung Shu-kun, Ben Chan, Gary Chan, Starry Lee, Leung Kwok-hung, Wong Yuk-man and Lam Tai-fai.

Lau Wong-fat, Leung Ka-lau, Lam Tai-fai, Paul Tse, Chan Yuen-han, Vincent Fang, Abraham Shek and Wong Yuk-man failed to vote more than half the time.

Meanwhile, more than half of lawmakers backed 46 of 110 rejected bills that came to a vote out of 208 filed during the year.

The 46 bills were defeated during “divisional voting”, Catholic Monitors said.

Hui Wai-bun, a spokesman for the group, said the poor showing by several legislators fueled public disaffection that helped inspire the recent street protests.

This was exacerbated by the functional constituency system and a divisional voting mechanism that undercut the Legislative Council.

Genuine universal suffrage will give Hong Kong people the ability to elect able people to the chamber, Hui said.

– Contact us at english@hkej.com

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