Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam meets the media before the Executive Council meeting at government headquarters. Photo: Winson Wong
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https://scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3002390/hong-kong-government-may-consider-changes-controversial Politics
Hong Kong government may soften stance on controversial extradition amendment but city leader Carrie Lam says it needs to be passed by summer
- Secretary for justice will have final say on whether there will be modifications to bill
- Chief executive says unresolved murder of Hong Kong woman in Taiwan relies on law being passed quickly
The Civil Human Right Front and pan-democrats protest outside the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in Sai Wan against the proposed amendments to the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance. Phone: Dickson Lee
There were signs on Tuesday the Hong Kong government might soften its stance on a much-criticised proposal to allow fugitives to be handed over to mainland China and other jurisdictions, with reports changes may be considered.
But Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor also stressed the Legislative Council must approve the proposed law change before its summer recess in July or “justice would not be served”.
The proposed change in the law followed a recent homicide case in which Hong Kong authorities were unable to extradite a suspect to Taiwan. The Security Bureau proposed an amendment to allow for the transfer of fugitives, on a case-by-case basis, to the self-ruled island, Macau and mainland China or any jurisdiction Hong Kong did not have an existing agreement with.
The plan, floated last month, was met with scepticism from the city’s pro-democracy bloc, commercial sector and international community with fears it would damage Hong Kong’s judicial system and its reputation as a place to do business.
Speaking ahead of her weekly cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Lam noted the concerns raised by different parties and said Secretary for Security John Lee Ka-chiu had already been meeting business representatives to ease their worries.
“After consulting and listening to many opinions, I would leave it to the security chief … to work on whether there might be any modifications to the bill,” Lam said.
Lee, who met the General Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, also showed a willingness to refine the proposal, according to those present at the meeting.
James Tien Pei-chun, honorary chairman of the Liberal Party, said he got the impression Lee was willing to consider the watered-down, two-stage deal with mainland China to allow the transfer of fugitives for violent offences first and those accused of white-collar crimes later.
“I feel like the government may really consider it,” Tien said, referring to the alternative plan floated by former police chief Andy Tsang Wai-hung.
He warned that if the government refused to back down, his colleagues might vote against the plan.
Aron Harilela, chairman of Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce (left) and Secretary for Security John Lee. Photo: Handout
Aron Harilela, chairman of the General Chamber of Commerce, said the safeguards as given in the government proposal did not “go far enough” and called on the administration to start with those very serious crimes where they was a consensus for potential extradition.
Eric Yim Chi-ming, deputy chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Industries, who met the security chief last Thursday, also quoted Lee as saying he was willing to review the list of extraditable offences to mainland China.
This stood in contrast with Lee’s earlier firm stance, when he turned down the business sector’s call to exempt white-collar crimes from the list of crimes covered by the fugitive proposal, insisting the list was an international standard.
Meanwhile, Lam on Tuesday stressed the urgency of getting the proposed amendment to the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance and the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Ordinance passed, to move the Taiwan case forward.
Carrie Lam urged Legco to pass the proposed amendment by July recess. Photo: Winson Wong
She said justice would not be served if lawmakers did not endorse the plan by July, adding it would go against the wishes of the murder victim’s parents, without specifying how.
“We have a case right in front of us which has caused a lot of public anxiety, a lot of anger, especially for the parents of the deceased,” she said. “So we need to do this expeditiously to have the legal framework and the authority to deal with that particular case.”
The murder suspect, Chan Tong-kai, is currently remanded and will stand trial at the High Court on charges of theft and money laundering.
Democratic Party lawmaker James To Kun-sun slammed Lam for imposing a deadline on the amendment. Instead of proposing a controversial law change by itself, To said the city government should have negotiated directly with Taiwanese authorities about the issue if Lam really wanted justice to be served.