When it comes to pay, it seems lawmakers are united - they should all get the same salary increase.
Those elected by the public will be paid the same as those who represent small trade bodies and who are often perceived as underperforming.
A Legislative Council subcommittee has proposed that the pay of all lawmakers be raised to HK$141,000 a month from HK$73,150, on top of a medical allowance and end-of-service gratuity.
Transport-sector legislator Miriam Lau Kin-yee, chairwoman of the pro-business Liberal Party, said she disagreed with suggestions that functional-constituency legislators be paid less than their geographical counterparts. 'You can't prejudge that trade-seated lawmakers perform worse than those directly elected,' Lau said.
New Territories West lawmaker Tam Yiu-chung, also the chairman of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, was also opposed.
'It is not good to divide them in this way. Some functional-constituency lawmakers are very diligent despite their smaller voter base.'