Copyright bill debate abandoned as not enough members turn up to Legco

Debate on the contentious copyright amendment bill was cut short by half an hour in the Legislative Council on Friday afternoon – because not enough members showed up.

The premature adjournment came a day after the commerce minister said he was optimistic that there would be enough time for discussion, despite the nearing Lunar New Year holiday and sessions for scrutinising the chief executive’s policy address and the financial secretary’s budget speech.

All but one pan-democrats were absent when the last quorum bell rang on Friday. They were launching, or at least assisting, a filibuster to make the government stall the bill derided by internet users as “Internet Article 23”, in reference to the sensitive national security provision in the Basic Law.

House committee chairman Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen, who chaired the meeting in the absence of the ill president Jasper Tsang Yok-sing, said he regretted the adjournment.

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He said cutting short the meeting after failing to meet quorum was highly inappropriate as it would give a bad public impression.

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 online freedom.