Surveillance bill stalemate as deadline looms

Lawmakers were yesterday locked in a stalemate with the government on the definition of spying in their clause-by-clause examination of the covert surveillance bill as the deadline for its enactment looms.

Legislators from the democratic camp insisted regulations in the bill be extended to cover clandestine police operations even where there is no use of electronic devices - a demand government officials said went beyond the scope of the Interception of Communications and Surveillance Bill.

Civic Party lawmaker Margaret Ng Ngoi-yee said the law would be 'useless' and Hongkongers would be living in a 'very, very horrible society' if people had to live in fear that undercover agents could be present in their offices and homes and they would not be able to do anything about their presence.

'The main purpose of the bill is to ensure that covert surveillance operations are carried out in accordance with ... Article 30 of the Basic Law,' she said.

'That legal procedure must fully protect the rights under Article 30 - we have to offer total protection from infringement by government departments. We would be creating a major loophole and it would be meaningless for us to enact this bill if it does not include regulations for undercover agents.'

The proposed bill regulates the use of covert surveillance and bugging by law enforcement agents, but restricts the definition of such surveillance to activities involving the use of devices.