Advertisement
Mass resignation of opposition lawmakers irresponsible, says Hong Kong’s No 2 official
- Unwise for the legislators to abandon their duty of monitoring the government, Matthew Cheung says
- Financial secretary says Beijing’s resolution will help the legislature to resume normal operations
Reading Time:3 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
Hong Kong’s No 2 official has hit out at opposition lawmakers who resigned en masse over a recent resolution by Beijing, saying it was “unwise and irresponsible” for them to abandon their duties of monitoring the government in the legislature.
Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, as well as pro-establishment heavyweights, also backed Beijing’s move requiring the removal of any Legislative Council member found to have violated their duty of allegiance or endangered national security.
The resolution, passed on Wednesday by China’s top legislative body, the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC), resulted in the immediate disqualification of four legislators who had previously been barred from running for re-election. Fifteen pan-democrat colleagues quit en masse on Thursday to protest against the decision.
Advertisement
Writing on his official blog on Sunday, Cheung said: “It was unwise and irresponsible for the resigned non-establishment lawmakers to abandon their duties of monitoring the government and the opportunity to speak up in the Legislative Council.”
Advertisement
The standing committee’s decision, which allows for the summary ousting of lawmakers without the involvement of the courts or Legco, sparked backlash from local legal groups and the international community, with the European Union calling the action a “severe blow” to Hong Kong’s autonomy.
Advertisement
Select Voice
Choose your listening speed
Get through articles 2x faster
1.25x
250 WPM
Slow
Average
Fast
1.25x