Leung Kwok-hung
The number of questions and motions legislators can ask and submit over the government’s funding applications for two controversial infrastructure projects will be limited, the head of the Legislative Council’s Finance Committee has warned.
The move is considered to counteract councillors’ filibustering attempts to hold up the proceedings.
Chan Kin-por is proposing extra meetings from 28 to 31 of this month to ensure that scrutiny of additional funding for the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau’s bridge can be finished as soon as possible.
The government is seeking an additional HK$5.46 billion for the border-crossing facilities on the bridge’s artificial island.
The aim of that was to allow more time to discuss another controversial HK$19.6 billion funding for the troubled high-speed rail link to Guangzhou, he said, as radical legislators are expected to filibuster the meetings.
“In the meeting, I will probably allow a very small amount of motions,” he said. “If they submit a lot, I will have to make a decision.”
But League of Social Democrats lawmaker Leung Kwok-hung said he doesn't support holding extra meetings just because the government wants its funding requests to be approved as soon as possible.
He also criticised Chan for planning to limit the number of questions and motions submitted by lawmakers.
“I don’t think members of Legco should kowtow to help the government to pass their requests,” Leung said. “Our duty is to monitor the government on behalf of the Hong Kong people.”
The move is considered to counteract councillors’ filibustering attempts to hold up the proceedings.
Chan Kin-por is proposing extra meetings from 28 to 31 of this month to ensure that scrutiny of additional funding for the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau’s bridge can be finished as soon as possible.
The government is seeking an additional HK$5.46 billion for the border-crossing facilities on the bridge’s artificial island.
The aim of that was to allow more time to discuss another controversial HK$19.6 billion funding for the troubled high-speed rail link to Guangzhou, he said, as radical legislators are expected to filibuster the meetings.
“In the meeting, I will probably allow a very small amount of motions,” he said. “If they submit a lot, I will have to make a decision.”
But League of Social Democrats lawmaker Leung Kwok-hung said he doesn't support holding extra meetings just because the government wants its funding requests to be approved as soon as possible.
He also criticised Chan for planning to limit the number of questions and motions submitted by lawmakers.
“I don’t think members of Legco should kowtow to help the government to pass their requests,” Leung said. “Our duty is to monitor the government on behalf of the Hong Kong people.”
Finance chair to limit motions to curb filibusters - RTHK http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1227380-20151203.htm
