Beijing-loyalist lawmakers make doubly sure Legco will probe Occupy Central
Pro-establishment lawmakers are taking a two-pronged approach to investigating the Occupy Central protests in the legislature amid opposition from their pan-democratic counterparts.
Pro-establishment lawmakers are taking a two-pronged approach to investigating the Occupy Central protests in the legislature amid opposition from their pan-democratic counterparts.
Business-sector representative Jeffrey Lam Kin-fung, who is also an executive councillor, tabled a motion to invoke the Legislative Council's powers to look into the organisation and sources of funding for the protests, among other issues.
Lam's motion was adopted 35-25 at a meeting of Legco's House Committee yesterday.
But the pan-democratic camp is likely to succeed in blocking approval from the full council on October 29.
To be doubly sure that Legco would examine the mass sit-ins, pro-establishment heavyweight Tam Yiu-chung said he would go ahead with a plan on Wednesday to set up an alternative investigation - that requires support from only 20 lawmakers to begin but has no power to summon witnesses.
Outside the meeting, Civic Party leader Alan Leong Kah-kit said the proposals from Lam and Tam would set "a very dangerous, inappropriate and improper precedent".
"This council exists to oversee executive powers," Leong said. "We do not use our powers [under the Powers and Privileges Ordinance] to investigate activities initiated by civil society.
"If you start doing it in the way Lam has suggested, there is no end to it. This is an abuse of Legco procedures … but such improper use of power has become the order of the day."
Lam told the meeting that the investigation he was seeking would go beyond the organisation and financial sources of the protests. "We want a comprehensive inquiry into matters including … the problems it has caused in public order and safety, and the government's handling of the matter," he said.
On Wednesday, Tam and four pan-democratic lawmakers will raise urgent questions about the Occupy protests. Leong will also table a motion to debate the handling of the mass sit-ins by the government and police.
Meanwhile, Beijing-loyalist lawmakers Tommy Cheung Yu-yan and Chan Kin-por were elected chairman and vice-chairman, respectively, of Legco's Finance Committee.
