Ejections and button mix-up mar debate
It was supposed to be the first snapshot of how the different political forces in the new legislature will make or break any government universal suffrage proposal in 2012. But on top of seeing nowhere near the Basic Law's requirement of one-third backing among the 60 lawmakers for any proposal, the motion debate in Legco last night fast deteriorated into a shouting match. Three League of Social Democrats lawmakers were kicked out without voting after accusing constitutional affairs minister Stephen Lam Sui-lung of being 'a slave'. What was worse, the Civic Party's Margaret Ng Ngoi-yee, who moved the motion calling on the government to scrap functional seats, apparently pressed the wrong button and opposed an amendment moved by her pan-democrat allies calling for the introduction of universal suffrage by 2012.
Kudos to Long Hair from Beijing camp
'Long Hair' Leung Kwok-hung, known as a vocal critic of the Chinese communist authorities, received rare applause from one of his Legco colleagues from the Beijing-friendly camp. The League of Social Democrats legislator had initiated an adjournment debate on the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip. One of the lawmakers who spoke during the debate, Pan Pey-chyou of the Federation of Trade Unions, praised Mr Leung for putting the international issue on the Legco agenda. 'I personally do not agree with Mr Leung's behaviour, but today I want to thank him for moving this motion,' he said. Hong Kong was an international city, Mr Pan said, and Legco should be concerned about the tension in the Middle East.
Zen and the art of compromise
Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, a fierce champion of the social underdog, is facing a dilemma. On one hand, as the top Catholic in Hong Kong, he is expected to defend the church's principles on marriage and its opposition towards same-sex unions. On the other, he is expected to uphold the welfare of the oppressed and those subject to discrimination. So no wonder that, after publicising his strongly worded statement on Monday opposing the inclusion of gay couples in a proposed amendment to the domestic violence bill, the cardinal is said to be more sympathetic after hearing pleas from the liberal wing of the church. A church source said that while the cardinal would never budge on the church's principles, he supports protecting homosexuals from violence as a matter of course. The church's bottom line, according to the source, appears to be: after the amendment, the wording of the law must not equate same-sex couples living together with the status of heterosexual marriage. This is also a compromise being sought by pan-democrats.
