The DAB adds to growing pressure for a Sars investigation with legal powers
Pressure on the government to set up an independent investigation into its handling of the Sars outbreak mounted yesterday when legislators passed a motion calling for a commission of inquiry.
In a surprise move, the Democratic Alliance for Betterment of Hong Kong backed the motion, which was passed with 32 votes in favour, and nine abstentions. It was the first time the party had moved against the government on a major issue since its chairman Tsang Yok-sing joined the Executive Council in July last year.
Mr Tsang had previously supported the government's decision to establish only an internal inquiry into the outbreak of the deadly disease that has claimed the lives of 274 people in Hong Kong.
But yesterday he said: 'The DAB agrees that besides this review committee, we have to set up an inquiry commission with the goal of finding who should be responsible [for the outbreak].'
The non-binding motion, moved by Democratic Party chairman Yeung Sum in the Legislative Council's House Committee, called on the government to set up an independent commission of inquiry once its own review committee has completed its report in September.