Hong Kong lawmakers clash over proposed Legco rule changes

Pro-establishment camp suggests amendments that would change how motions are prioritised

Opposition believes move is attempt to stop them investigating police behaviour during last year’s civil unrest

3-MIN READ3-MIN

Pro-establishment lawmakers want to make amendments to Legislative Council house rules. Photo: Nora Tam

Published: 8:57pm, 4 Nov 2020Updated: 10:46am, 5 Nov 2020

Hong Kong’s pro-establishment lawmakers have proposed amendments to legislature rules in a bid to stop their rivals looking into police handling of anti-government protests last year, while seeking to prioritise their own investigation into alleged foreign interference in the unrest.

Opposition lawmakers were considering legal challenges to the plan, which they say would jeopardise their freedom of speech.

A month into the new term of the Legislative Council, the pro-establishment majority has suggested an array of amendments to house rules targeting tactics the opposition has used over the past year to stall Legco proceedings and bills they consider to be controversial.

Pan-democrats see this as targeting their calls for the setting up of a select committee to investigate police behaviour during last year’s social unrest, including the attack of July 21 by a white-clad mob in Yuen Long rail station, and the August 31 incident that saw riot police storming into Prince Edward rail station.

Lawmaker Andrew Wan said he believed changes would impact freedom of speech. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

Horace Cheung Kwok-kwan, who submitted the proposal, wants to lower the priority for debating these motions under Legco’s Powers and Privileges Ordinance and give way to other motions.