Legislators pile on the questions

LEGISLATORS bombarded officials with almost 600 questions in this year's session.

Heads of government branches answered almost 150 oral questions during the weekly meetings, and gave written replies to some 450 questions filed by legislators.

Independent Emily Lau Wai-hing was the most active. The outspoken legislator asked five oral questions and filed 30 written ones.

She preferred oral questions to written ones because she could come face to face with officials and ask follow-up questions.

She denied she was putting on a ''political show''. ''I just ask questions which should be asked,'' she said.

Second and third on the list were United Democrat legislator Dr Huang Chen-ya, who asked 34 questions, and independent legislator Chim Pui-chung, who asked 26.