The relationship between the administration and the legislature has deteriorated and could get worse still, the Legislative Council's house committee has warned.
Summing up Legco's four-year term, which ended yesterday, committee chairwoman Miriam Lau Kin-yee said the unresolved scandal over illegal structures at the home of Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying threatened to further sour ties. It came on the back of a row surrounding former chief executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen's dealings with tycoons.
'As lawmakers sought impeachment and a motion of no confidence against Tsang, it was hard for us and the administration to get closer,' said Lau, who is also chairwoman of the Liberal Party. 'I hope this is the trough ... but some colleagues could be readying actions against Leung for the illegal structures.'
The vice-chairman of the house committee, Fred Li Wah-ming, also expressed concern, saying there was no such thing as 'the worst', only 'even worse' for relations with the administration.
Lau commented on the three chief secretaries they had dealt with in the committee's weekly meetings with the administration.
'Although we have only had two meetings so far, we have a good relationship with Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor,' said Lau.