Opinion divided as Legco chief cuts off filibuster debate on budget bill
Deadlock has become a no-win situation, says Jasper Tsang; pan-dems outraged, but pro-Beijing camp welcomes move to end budget debate today
Legco president Jasper Tsang Yok-sing ruled yesterday that weeks of filibustering by radical lawmakers to block passage of the budget bill had to end by 1pm today.
His decision to axe the debate, however, has sparked controversy over the use of his power.
Pan-democrats - including those who distanced themselves from the filibustering - accused him of fitting the legislature into the administration's agenda.
The decision came on the 10th day of a marathon debate over the annual appropriation bill, which received more than 700 amendments from four lawmakers from People Power and the League of Social Democrats. The amendments were compressed into 148 debates but only 17 had been completed.
In a closed-door meeting with lawmakers yesterday, Tsang said he had decided to set a deadline for the filibustering bid and group all remaining debates into one. That would allow the bill to be passed before next Tuesday, six days after the government's "fiscal cliff" deadline tomorrow.
Tsang said he formed his view after fruitless talks on Friday between Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah and the radicals, whose demands for a universal HK$10,000 handout and a consultation on a universal pension scheme have been rejected.
"The filibuster has become a no-win situation," the Legco president said. "[The radicals] have failed to threaten the government into yielding to their demands, the government is encountering financial difficulties and Legco is paralysed."