Legco to consider probing officials on Sars outbreak
Critics of the government's response to the Sars crisis seized their moment in the Legislative Council yesterday, securing a vote on whether a formal investigation should be held into the conduct of senior officials amid the outbreak.
The non-binding motion calling for the establishment of a select committee to investigate government officials and Hospital Authority executives was passed in the Legco health services panel and will be voted on next Friday.
In the absence of pro-government legislators - except Hong Kong Progressive Alliance legislator Tang Siu-tong, who abstained from voting - the motion was passed unanimously at 8.30am.
The vote is being seen as an embarrassment for the government, but whether the select committee is established hinges on the full House Committee next Friday.
It has also emerged that the Hospital Authority will hand over the cases of two health-care workers, who died after contracting Sars from a terminal patient in Tuen Mun Hospital, to the Coroner's Court for further investigation. They were Tse Yuen-man, 35, and male nurse Lau Wing-kai, 38. Dr Tse's death two days ago sparked a public outcry against the Hospital Authority and the government over their perceived failure to provide sufficient protection for frontline medical workers.