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Hong Kong Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung says the government has a “constitutional responsibility” to enact the national anthem law as soon as possible. Photo: AFP

Hong Kong lawmakers urged to pass national anthem law as soon as possible

  • Controversial bill will receive its second reading in the legislature on May 27 and could be approved as early as June
  • But opposition camp warns city’s leader that public concerns over the law should be addressed, pointing to upheaval caused by extradition bill

Hong Kong lawmakers should pass the proposed national anthem law “as soon as possible” when the legislature resumes the second reading of the bill on May 27, the government said on Tuesday.

The opposition camp admits it has little room left to further delay the bill’s passage after it lost control of the agenda-setting House Committee in the Legislative Council, but warned Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor she should draw lessons from the social upheaval caused by the now-withdrawn extradition bill and address the public’s concerns over the controversial law.

Critics say the law, which penalises anyone for misusing or insulting March of the Volunteers with a fine of up to HK$50,000 (US$6,450) and three years in prison, will erode freedom of expression.

Some Hong Kong soccer fans boo the Chinese national anthem during an international friendly match between Hong Kong and Bahrain at the Mong Kok Stadium in 2017. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

In a letter to Starry Lee Wai-king, who wrested control of the committee during a tumultuous session on Friday but has yet to be officially elected as chairwoman, Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung Kin-chung confirmed the proposed law would top the list of 10 government bills to be discussed on May 27.

“The national anthem is a symbol and sign of the nation. The national anthem law is to enact the law of the People’s Republic of China by local legislation,” Cheung said in the letter, adding the government had a “constitutional responsibility” to carry out the enactment as soon as possible.

Lee said she agreed with the resumption of the second reading of the listed bills.

In a press release on Tuesday night, a government spokesman said it was “completely untrue” to claim the law was “suppressing the freedom of speech” and was “draconian”.

“We hope that Legco can pass the bill as soon as possible,” he added.

Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung has confirmed the national anthem bill will be discussed in Legco on May 27. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Over the past two weeks, the committee has become the main battleground in a contest of wills between the opposition camp and Beijing’s offices that oversee the city’s affairs. Civic Party lawmaker Dennis Kwok, who had presided over the committee meetings for the past seven months, has been accused by the representatives of misconduct by delaying the election of the chairmanship, effectively leaving bills in deadlock. On Friday, Lee cleared 14 bills with her allies and set up committees to scrutinise some of them, which Civic Party lawmaker Tanya Chan said needed to be justified by Legco’s president Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen and legal advisers. She also urged Lam to address public concerns over the national anthem bill.

Let me remind the chief executive: the city has yet to recover from the chaos sparked by the extradition bill
Civic Party lawmaker Tanya Chan

“Let me remind the chief executive: the city has yet to recover from the chaos sparked by the extradition bill,” Chan said. “I do believe that the members of the public understand who should be responsible for the problems arising from the bill … Again the government ignored our demands and put the blame on Hong Kong people and pan-democrats in Legco.”

Yet Chan admitted they had little room to filibuster in the full council meetings, which were currently scrutinising an appropriation bill under a time frame drawn up by Leung.

Another source in the opposition camp said they had few ways to delay the bill once the second reading resumed and expected the bill could be approved as early as June 4, which would fall on the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown of 1989.

The camp was still discussing further ways to hold up the process, the source said, admitting they were facing pressure from supporters.

The pro-establishment camp, which is in the majority in Legco, was taking steps to ensure its members would be in the chamber. Lawmaker Leung Che-cheung, a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, said he and other delegates to the advisory body or National People’s Congress were ready to take leave from the annual meetings in Beijing and stay in Hong Kong to attend Legco sessions.

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This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Lawmakers told to focus on national anthem bill
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