Extradition bill sparks paralysing row in Hong Kong’s legislature
- Committee scrutinising bitterly contested proposal fails to select chairman again as pro-democracy legislators seek to stall legislative process
An unprecedented procedural row over delaying tactics by opposition lawmakers in Hong Kong’s legislature is threatening to paralyse the government’s efforts to fast track a controversial law to allow the transfer of fugitives to Taiwan, Macau and mainland China.
On Tuesday, 42 pro-establishment lawmakers took an extraordinary step in demanding the official removal of a colleague from the rival camp presiding over a Legislative Council committee scrutinising the extradition bill at the centre of the storm.
The move to unseat Democratic Party stalwart James To Kun-sun came after lawmakers from his pan-democratic camp again succeeded in stalling discussion on the legislative amendment, which brought tens of thousands of protesters onto the streets on Sunday.
The bill, if passed, would allow the transfer of fugitives on a case-by-case basis to jurisdictions the city does not have an extradition treaty with. The prospect of including mainland China in particular is strongly opposed by critics who do not trust the legal system across the border and fear Hongkongers may be victimised for political reasons.
Proponents of the bill were on Tuesday considering various options to retain control over its passage after the pro-democracy lawmakers again thwarted attempts to get started by selecting a chairman for the committee.
James To automatically presides over the body by virtue of his seniority until a chairman can be installed, but the pan-democrats have resorted to filibustering to block the process with the aim of holding up the bill.