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Leung Chun-ying (CY Leung)
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Pan-democrat filibustering in Legco had caused economic loss to the city, CY Leung said. Photo: Sam Tsang

CY Leung slams pan-democrats over efforts to block Hong Kong tech bureau funding

Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying hit out at pan-democrat lawmakers' attempts to block funding for a proposed innovation and technology bureau as the issue made little progress in the Legislative Council on Tuesday.

Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying hit out at pan-democrat lawmakers' attempts to block funding for a proposed innovation and technology bureau as the issue made little progress in the Legislative Council yesterday.

The government is asking for approval for HK$35 million to set up the bureau, which Leung promised in his 2012 election manifesto.

However, most of yesterday's two-hour meeting, which was set aside to discuss funding for the IT bureau, was actually spent debating the withdrawal of a request for a fisheries loan fund. Labour Party lawmaker Lee Cheuk-yan also tabled a motion to adjourn discussion.

In a rare move, the government pulled the fisheries item from the agenda to make way for discussion on the IT bureau.

Leung said the fisheries issue - which had already been scrutinised by Legco's Finance Committee - could be retabled after funding for the new bureau had been approved.

Speaking ahead of the weekly Executive Council meeting yesterday, Leung said the city had suffered "countless losses both directly and indirectly" to the economy because of the filibustering by pan-democrats, who have vowed to block government spending in their campaign for open elections.

"By watching live on television, we can identify those lawmakers one by one who are using filibustering to delay [the funding request of] the proposed IT bureau or even leave it dead in the water," Leung said.

Civic Party leader Alan Leong Kah-kit said it was "unreasonable" to withdraw the fisheries request to push for the IT bureau.

"The government pulled the request after we had already discussed it for eight hours … It shows how imperious and unreasonable this government is," he said.

Financial Services Secretary Professor Chan Ka-keung admitted the move was unusual, but stressed it was not unprecedented as the government had the power to reschedule the agenda.

After the meeting, Commerce Secretary Greg So Kam-leung said the session had been largely "a waste of time". Despite all the preparations the officials had made, he said only one question about the IT bureau was raised.

Ten more hours are scheduled to discuss the request before the February 14 expiry of a resolution to establish the bureau.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: CY slams pan-democrats over IT funding filibuster
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