Pro-democracy lawmakers and human rights groups yesterday described the government's concessions over the national security laws as 'trivial' and not good enough to ease their worries.
But other political parties said the changes were a big step forward and adequate to protect the rights and freedom now enjoyed in Hong Kong.
Democratic Party chairman Yeung Sum said the government had ignored the public's views in going ahead with the proposal to ban local groups linked to mainland groups outlawed on national security grounds.
'Why does the government fail to listen to the voice of the public and scrap the most worrying part of the proposal? This shows the government does not care about their views and only adopts some trivial changes,' he said.
Mr Yeung also criticised the methodology in classifying public views: 'The views are classified as supporting, opposing and uncertain, which are too general and misleading.'
Kan Hung-cheung, spokesman for the local branch of the Falun Gong, said the government only amended some 'unimportant' sections but kept clauses which would undermine rights and freedoms.
'If the floodgate is broken, rights and freedoms in Hong Kong will be seriously damaged. In the end, everyone will be hurt,' he said, adding that he feared the activities of the Falun Gong would be restricted.
