Pro-establishment camp seeks to end filibusters

Pro-establishment lawmakers plan to amend the Rules of Procedure when the Legislative Council resumes business next month, with a view to preventing the opposition camp from misusing rules as filibustering tools, revealed Starry Lee Wai-king, chairwoman of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong - the largest party in LegCo.

She said Chan Kin-por, chairman of the LegCo Finance Committee, has vowed to amend the Finance Committee Procedure in the fight against filibusters.

Lee, who is also chairwoman of the House Committee, dismisses the accusation that the pro-establishment camp is exploiting the "empty period" after six opposition members were disqualified to carry the amendments easily.

Amendment to the Rules of Procedure takes the form of a LegCo member's motion. It requires approval by both the geographical and functional constituencies of legislators.

Over the years the opposition has maintained an upper hand in the geographical constituency, commanding an advantage of 19-16 after last year's election. Yet after the disqualifications, the situation has reversed.

"We are not taking advantage of their vulnerable situation," Lee clarified.

"We have been waiting for a long time. It is not something new that comes out today. It was part of my election platform for the 2016 election and also the main platform of all DAB candidates," she stressed.

Lee said the current Rules of Procedure was modeled on the rules of the UK Parliament and a gentleman's agreement, and it needs revision after being misused as filibustering tools.

She cited numerous legislative and funding proposals, including many livelihood issues, being wrecked by filibusters.

Amendments that sought to bring the Copyright Ordinance in line with international standards was ruined by excessive quorum bells in 2015 and it has since then been shelved.

Last year the opposition filibustered the amendment to the Medical Registration Ordinance that aimed to reform the medical watchdog body even though it had the support of most lawmakers. Amendments to the public columbarium and fire service installation ordinances were also delayed.

At the last meeting of the Finance Committee in July, the opposition filibustered for most of the time, approving only the HK$3.6 billion education funding and redevelopment plan of three public hospitals.

Numerous items were blocked, including construction of public columbaria and works at Tung Chung New Town for public-housing construction.

Lee lamented: "Pay rises for the civil service was also delayed until later this year. Although civil servants will get back pay, employees of statutory bodies suffer because they do not have back pay."

She regrets that Hong Kong trails its closest competitor Singapore because filibusters have hindered development here; establishment of the Innovation and Technology Bureau was delayed for three years.

Lee has not disclosed which rules the pro-establishment lawmakers will amend. Owing to notorious abuses of the quorum bell by opposition lawmakers, they will probably strive to stop lawmakers from asking to ring the bell repetitively to waste time.

In many Western parliaments, the quorum bell is only rung at the start of the meeting and when matters are put to the vote.

joseph@chinadailyhk.com

(HK Edition 09/21/2017 page4)