Beijing-loyalist lawmakers make doubly sure Legco will probe Occupy Central

Pro-establishment lawmakers are taking a two-pronged approach to investigating the Occupy Central protests in the legislature amid opposition from their pan-democratic counterparts.

Business-sector representative Jeffrey Lam Kin-fung, who is also an executive councillor, tabled a motion to invoke the Legislative Council's powers to look into the organisation and sources of funding for the protests, among other issues.

Lam's motion was adopted 35-25 at a meeting of Legco's House Committee yesterday.

But the pan-democratic camp is likely to succeed in blocking approval from the full council on October 29.

To be doubly sure that Legco would examine the mass sit-ins, pro-establishment heavyweight Tam Yiu-chung said he would go ahead with a plan on Wednesday to set up an alternative investigation - that requires support from only 20 lawmakers to begin but has no power to summon witnesses.

Outside the meeting, Civic Party leader Alan Leong Kah-kit said the proposals from Lam and Tam would set "a very dangerous, inappropriate and improper precedent".