Hong Kong government under growing pressure to stall copyright bill as time runs short for key discussions

The Hong Kong government is under mounting pressure to stall protracted discussions by lawmakers of the copyright amendment bill, as time is running out before the legislature scrutinises two prime documents: the policy address and the budget.

Pro-government lawmakers said such a move would be “wise”, after comments by Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor that the administration “would not rule out the possibility”.

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After Thursday’s passage of the second reading of the bill – which triggered brief disbelief among internet users, who mistook it as final approval of the bill – there are unlimited chances for lawmakers to delay it by raising questions and filibustering at the committee stage before the bill’s third and final reading.

But time is short for the government. There are only five more full-day sessions before lawmakers break for the Lunar New Year holiday, followed by sessions reserved for scrutiny of Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying’s policy address and the budget speech by Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah.

“In these days I hope you all should appreciate that the ­government could not rule out anything,” Lam told reporters when asked about her earlier comments to the media on possibly stalling the controversial bill.

“Very odd things are happening nowadays in the Legislative Council … It is not for me to say that something definitely would not happen” she said. But Lam added the government remained “very determined” to pass the bill and called on pan-democrats to scrutinise and vote on it.

The Copyright (Amendment) Bill 2014 is supported by ­copyright owners as they believe it will protect them against infringements, but it is opposed by ­internet users and pan-democrats, who want broader exemptions for fear it will be used to suppress freedom online.