Minimum wage debate not yet begun but clashes have started

The Legislative Council committee scrutinising the controversial minimum wage legislation yesterday met for the first time and had a fierce fight - over the date of the next meeting.

In the 20-minute discussion, the scrutinising committee on the Minimum Wage Bill took 20 minutes to agree on the date, as lawmakers of different camps attacked one another's attitudes towards the bill.

With labour unions long advocating a minimum wage law in Hong Kong and the business sector reserved, the committee has drawn 36 lawmakers to participate. Thirteen members have a business background, while eight are unionists.

After the election of Tam Yiu-chung, of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, as chairman, and independent Paul Chan Mo-po as deputy, all the committee had left to do was to set a date for the second meeting.

Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen, representing the industrial sector, started the debate by suggesting that the deliberation of the bill should start in October, as legislators returned to the council after the summer recess.

Ronny Tong Ka-wah disagreed. 'Hong Kong citizens have high expectations of us,' the Civic Party legislator said. 'I do not agree that we can relax and slow down on the job. We should give citizens the impression that we will handle the legislation as soon as possible.'