Transcript of remarks by CE at media session before ExCo meeting (with video)
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Reporter: Mrs Lam, in terms of legal fees, in terms of the salary the four disqualified lawmakers have been taking since October, in terms of whether you will include self-financing programmes that are under public universities into the subsidy plan, you have rejected all these requests. So, how do you plan to solve this huge political bomb that's going on here because you have rejected all their demands that they have handed to you? Also ...
Chief Executive: well, it much depends on whether those demands are reasonable and legally feasible. I have to act in accordance with the law and in accordance with the broadest public interest of the Hong Kong people. I'm not here as the Chief Executive to just deal with the pan-democratic members. I have 7.3 million people to whom I have to be accountable for my decisions and actions. So, as far as the package of education measures is concerned, I have explained the rationale behind that particular proposal of providing an annual $30,000 subsidy for our DSE graduates to go into self-financing institutions. And more importantly, this particular measure has the broad consensus and support of all the institutions – both the UGC institutions and the self-financing institutions. So I just find it not really very reasonable for individual members of the Legislative Council to reverse that common consensus of the institutions.
As far as the follow-up actions to the disqualification of the four Legislative Council members, I said everything will be done in accordance with the law and in accordance with my purview and jurisdiction. I have absolutely no right in determining the changes to the rules of procedures of the Legislative Council or asking the Legislative Council members to repay the Legislative Council on their salaries and operating expenses. Thank you very much.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Tuesday, July 18, 2017
Issued at HKT 12:54
Issued at HKT 12:54
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Audio / Video
CE meets the media