Pan-democrat lawmaker to table motion adjourning copyright debate
Controversial bill set to be shelved this week anyway, in move described as ‘embarrassing to all sides’
A radical lawmaker has obtained approval from the Legislative Council president to table a motion on Wednesday to adjourn the fraught copyright bill debate.
Ray Chan Chi-chuen, of People Power, said Jasper Tsang Yok-sing had agreed to his move despite Secretary for Commerce Greg So Kam-leung’s criticism.
Even if Chan’s motion does not receive enough support from lawmakers, the bill is still likely to be shelved by Friday. While debate on the copyright amendment bill will continue in the Legislative Council from Wednesday, So has already decided to “let go” the decade-long legislative project if lawmakers fail to vote on it by Friday.
That decision followed months of filibustering in Legco since the second reading of the current bill began late last year.
Chan said his proposal to adjourn the debate would be “embarrassing to all sides”. Pro-establishment lawmakers, he added, would want his motion to be passed as they would then no longer need to stay in the Legco chamber all day long to make sure enough members were present so pan-democrats have no chance to call a quorum to lengthen the debate.
Tam Yiu-chung, of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, said that there is a high chance the bill will be shelved.
The bill aims to close loopholes in the existing copyright law which make it hard to fight piracy.
On Monday, three pan-democrats pitched a last-minute proposal to try to rescue the bill.
But the government and copyright owners were swift to voice opposition to the proposal.
All 27 pan-democratic lawmakers have participated in the filibustering effort. They have echoed concerns expressed by internet users that the bill runs contrary to freedom of creation and expression, despite six exemptions having been introduced that cover parody, pastiche and current affairs.
The two legal bodies, Bar Association and Law Society, have called on lawmakers to support the bill.
