LEGISLATOR James Tien Pei-chun yesterday warned that the effectiveness and efficiency of the Legislative Council was being undermined by the emergence of party politics.
Speaking at a luncheon, Liberal Party member Mr Tien said: ''I can't help but feel disturbed over recent developments in Legco.'' He said he was concerned about the number of motion debates held by the assembly each year and about the small influence legislators had on the administration.
Mr Tien, who was elected to Legco to replace the late Stephen Cheong Kam-chung as the representative of the Federation of Hong Kong Industries, said Legco members passed no more than nine motions in 1988, while 38 had been passed this year.
Back in 1988, legislators spent days to provide workable suggestions to the administration and had the resources to follow up the motions that got carried.
''Nowadays . . . I very much doubt the ability of the Government to carry out and for council members to follow up some 38 motions passed in one year.
''Against this background, the Government simply ignores proposals forwarded by the Legislative Council.'' Today's Legco had become more politicised and debates had often turned out to be ''armless duels among political parties''.