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SCMP Reporter

Legislators were pleased Mr Tsang had taken heed of their pleas not to introduce new taxes.

 But most warned he was likely to do so in his next Budget, following a review led by Secretary for Treasury Denise Yue Chung-yee.

 Democratic Party chairman Martin Lee Chu-ming said this was the first time he had accepted one of Mr Tsang's Budgets at first sight.

 He said: 'In the light of many trial balloons we have seen recently, the Budget, in our view, is a dramatically bland one but it's one which we found ourselves able to support.'  Mr Lee praised Mr Tsang for listening to the people's pleas not to introduce new taxes to stifle the nascent economic recovery.

 Liberal Party vice-chairman Ronald Arculli said: 'The Budget is probably one of the better ones that has been produced in the past decade.

 'It's the best that we have seen from the Financial Secretary in his five Budgets. Most of the taxes have remained unchanged and we believe in the current economic climate, that is a correct thing to do.'  Both Mr Arculli and party chairman James Tien Pei-chun dismissed suggestions the business sector was the biggest winner, because there was no increase in profits tax.

 'In this Budget, there is no loser,' Mr Arculli said.

 However, Lee Cheuk-yan, of the Confederation of Trade Unions, found the Budget unacceptable and would only give it an 'F' grade. He said Mr Tsang had failed to meet society's needs.

 He was particularly unhappy with what he said was Mr Tsang's scare-mongering.

 'I think by using this sort of deceptive attitude, the Financial Secretary has put the Government's honour and credibility into doubt. In the future, the people will no longer believe what the Government is talking about.'  Fellow unionist Lau Chin-shek accused Mr Tsang of 'crying wolf' and creating panic by telling people to prepare for new taxes.

 Cyd Ho Sau-lan, of The Frontier, said the Budget offered nothing new and she urged the Government to spend more on social welfare.

 Chan Yuen-han, of the Federation of Trade Unions, cast doubt on Mr Tsang's optimistic view that business opportunities arising from China's entry to the World Trade Organisation would bring more jobs.

 Tsang Yok-sing, chairman of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong, said the Budget was acceptable.

  Leong Che-hung, non-affiliated legislator representing the medical sector, described the Budget as a 'prudent and politically correct' one but was disappointed that there had been no increase in tobacco duty.



Lawmakers praise lack of new taxes, criticise scare-mongering