Christian groups call for document's withdrawal

Six Christian organisations have issued a joint call to the Chief Executive-designate's office to withdraw the consultative document on civil liberties and public order.

A spokesman for the groups, the Reverend Chu Yiu-ming, said they had told Secretary of Justice-designate Elsie Leung Oi-sie in a 1.5-hour meeting that the document had brought confusion and fear.

The proposed changes to the Societies Ordinance would put all societies under the shadow of restrictions applicable to political parties, Mr Chu said.

He said the fact that the laws would be vetted by the provisional legislature would give rise to doubts about their legality.

Ms Leung pledged to consider introducing the new laws at a later stage. The provisional legislature would only deal with laws essential to the formation of the Special Administrative Region, she said. She rejected the call to withdraw the consultation document, saying it was needed to fill the legal vacuum resulting from the scrapping of the Public Order and Societies ordinances.

On the Public Order Ordinance, the groups feared the powers given to the police commissioner were not specifically defined and would lead to the abuse of power.