Party will unite with pan-democrats despite opposition from business sector
The Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong has decided to support a cross-sector law to safeguard fair competition, despite strong opposition from the business sector.
The decision is significant because the party could form a united force with the pan-democracy camp to push for a law covering all types of anti-competitive conduct, and not just in specific sectors.
With a three-month consultation period on the proposed legislation ending today, DAB legislator Chan Kam-lam said the party believed the public favoured a competitive environment that would provide opportunities for companies to enter the market.
He said the party still hoped the government would consider a sector-specific law first, but a cross-sector law was acceptable if worries among small and medium-sized enterprises were dealt with.
After a government-appointed review committee in June recommended the introduction of a competition law for all types of businesses, Secretary for Economic Development and Labour Stephen Ip Shu-kwan started the consultation period on November 6 with the release of a 68-page document, Promoting Competition - Maintaining Our Economic Drive.
Last week a government spokesman said the administration would discuss with lawmakers the submissions it had received in response to the document.