Secretary for Justice Elsie Leung Oi-sie has defended the Government's handling of the right of abode issue following criticism from a business sector lawmaker. Miss Leung was responding to comments by Ronald Arculli, the Liberal Party vice-chairman, during the Legco motion of thanks debate on October 21. In a letter to Mr Arculli, she said: 'You commented that one mishap does more damage to the rule of law than a thousand statements upholding the rule of law can repair. I endorse that comment.' But she rejected Mr Arculli's claim that the handling of the right of abode in the Court of Final Appeal was an example of a mishap. Mr Arculli had said he could not understand why the administration did not tell the Court of Final Appeal in the first place that the matter must be referred to the National People's Congress Standing Committee. Miss Leung spelt out what she termed a 'rather complex explanation' which she hoped could help Mr Arculli and others understand.
