Liberals join with pan-democrats to back HKTV
Party unites with pan-democrats to demand free-TV licence as withdrawal of judicial review aims to force government to explain its decision
In a rare gesture, Liberal Party legislators and two other pro-establishment lawmakers have linked hands with pan-democrats to sign a petition pressing the government to give HKTV a free-to-air television licence.
The news came as Chinese University announced on Monday that Leung’s score in its popularity index fell to its lowest-ever – 41.7, down 4.2 marks. His cabinet also scored a record low of 42.1, down 3.5 points.
The Liberals signed their names alongside those of 27 pan-democrats under a statement calling on Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying and the Executive Council to revise their decision to grant licences to just two of the three applicants – i-Cable’s Fantastic TV and PCCW’s HK Television Entertainment Company.
Two other pro-government lawmakers may yet sign up, according to pan-democrat co-ordinator Frederick Fung Kin-kee.
The Liberals’ five legislators and non-affiliated Paul Tse Wai-chun also pledged to back the pan-democrats’ second attempt to invoke Legislative Council powers to investigate the decision. The motion will be put to the full council on November 6.
The decision snubbing HKTV saw an estimated 80,000 people attend a protest rally, followed by a week-long sit-in at government headquarters as staff from the station called for an explanation.
