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The following is issued on behalf of the Executive Council Secretariat:
Following is a transcript of remarks by the Convenor of the Non-official Members of the Executive Council (ExCo), Mr Ronald Arculli, and ExCo Non-official Member Mr V Nee Yeh at a media session outside the Chief Executive's Office at Tamar today (May 15):
Reporter: Would you mind giving your comments about the filibuster in LegCo in English? And also would you comment on whether you take the pay rise, as an ExCo member, as acceptable?
Convenor of the ExCo Non-official Members: What if I deal with the second point first. I think as far as the pay rise is concerned, I think what we would like to emphasise is that there is an existing independent committee that actually advises the Government and ExCo on reviews from time to time. So it's timely for the outgoing Administration to deal with the issue. The recommendation of the independent committee is for an increase at a certain level for somewhere in the order of 15 per cent. And I think, after detail discussion, the Executive Council came out on the side of recommending, approving an increase of 8 per cent. Obviously that still has to be approved by the Legislative Council, Finance Committee in particular.
Coming to the issue of filibustering, I think everybody recognises that every single individual Legislative Councillor is elected by his constituents to do a job at the Legislative Council. And that job entails a number of things: monitoring government, policy implementation, passing laws, having oversight and control of public finance. Now, when you use a procedure like filibustering to an unlimited extent, you are basically bringing the Legislative Council to a grinding halt, whereby the Council is not able to do its work. In whatever setting, whatever meeting, it doesn't matter whether it's a Legislative Council, whether it's a parent-teacher association meeting, after the discussion, if a vote and a decision is called for, you normally vote on the matter. And that is the democratic process. Now, if you say that I don't like a particular policy or a piece of bill, and I can use this filibuster to basically bring the Legislative Council, any parliament, to a grinding halt, then you are not in fact adhering to the dearest democratic principles, and that is not correct.
Mr V Nee Yeh: If I could make a supplement of what Ron said to you. You know, I've never been a LegCo member but I do appreciate the legislative process just as a Hong Kong citizen. I think as a legislator, you not only have a right to vote, you also have an obligation to vote, whether you cast a concurring vote or an opposition vote. And also you have an obligation to be part of the quorum. To neither cast a vote, any vote, whether concurring or opposing, and not even to show up, so that a quorum is not constituted, I think it's an abdication of a legislative responsibility.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Issued at HKT 19:34
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