Inquiry into radio host's sacking blocked
Beijing loyalist says Li Wei-ling is a 'tiny bug' not worth Legco's time, as motion is defeated
An effort to launch a Legislative Council inquiry into the sacking of outspoken Commercial Radio host Li Wei-ling failed yesterday with a Beijing loyalist calling her a "tiny bug" not worthy of the council's time.
The motion by two pan-democrats to use Legco's powers and privileges to investigate the sacking - which Li has said was a result of pressure from Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying ahead of the station's licence renewal in 2016 - was blocked by the pro-government camp.
Civic Party lawmaker Claudia Mo Man-ching and People Power lawmaker Albert Chan Wai-yip wanted Legco to look into the accusations by the strident government critic.
Opposing the motion, import and export sector lawmaker Wong Ting-kwong, of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, said that when the controversy broke he didn't know who she was.
"For a tiny bug like her, why make such a big deal and [invoke] the powers and privileges?" he asked. "Who is Li Wei-ling? I don't know what she is."
Former Democratic Party chairman Albert Ho Chun-yan said it was ignorant of Wong to say he didn't know who Li was.
"You can disagree with her or hate her, but as a lawmaker, there's no reason why you shouldn't [pay attention] to news, radio programmes or commentaries," he said.
The motion was voted down yesterday 37-26.
On radio later, Li said she had interviewed Wong several times and she was worried he was being "forgetful and deceptive".
Separately, about 20 pan-democrat lawmakers urged support for the Journalists Association's press-freedom march to government headquarters tomorrow, prompted in part by Li's dismissal.
