The Chief Executive was 'incompetent', pro-democracy legislators said yesterday, on the first day of debate on Tung Chee-hwa's Policy Address.
But support for Mr Tung came from three other parties who said he had set out the broad, long-term direction for economic development.
Democratic Party chief Martin Lee Chu-ming, who wants to amend the traditional motion of thanks to express deep regret, described as both an 'irony' and a 'sorrow' the fact that Mr Tung had been highly praised by President Jiang Zemin for his performance.
'But we shouldn't be too surprised because Tung Chee-hwa was anointed by Chinese leaders, not elected by Hong Kong people.
'He will feel 'fearlessness' about his falling popularity because he can still continue to do the job, or even have another term. The Chief Executive therefore has 'no complaints'. The Chief Executive is incompetent and we are helpless.' Citing the success of Nobel laureate Daniel Tsui Chye after he left Chinese soil, Mr Lee argued the reason was that: 'Without democracy in China, there's no freedom. Without that, there is no space for creativity.' He said efforts to stimulate original thought in areas such as science and technology would be doomed if there were no democratic institutions to safeguard freedom.
But the DAB's Yeung Yiu-chung attacked those who praised democracy as the magic ointment for all illnesses.