Hong Kong government offers up 9,400 items for Legco approval, on an all-or-nothing basis
Wang Chau housing project and Lantau reclamation part of package up for debate, but lawmakers say officials trying to avoid scrutiny of controversial items by bundling them with thousands of others
A group of lawmakers have criticised the government for bundling 26 controversial public construction projects in with a package of 9,400 items for legislators to decide whether to approve on Friday.
They urged the administration to let legislators scrutinise the 26 projects separately, saying they would otherwise stall the meeting to prevent the items being passed by requesting an adjournment and raising as many questions as possible.
The whole package of 9,400 items, involving about HK$12.4 billion, will be discussed by a Legislative Council public works subcommittee meeting on Friday, which will have to decide whether to approve it.
The package is therefore being offered up on an all-or-nothing basis.
Lawmaker Eddie Chu Hoi-dick said the government was using the bundling tactic to create a greater sense of legitimacy for controversial items.
“We do want to pass the rest,” Chu said. “But if we discuss and vote on all the items as a whole, we will lose a chance for society to find out more about the controversial items, and this will not be ideal for the Legislative Council as a body in scrutinising the government.”
Democratic Party legislator Hui Chi-fung said a request to separate the 26 items had been rejected by the subcommittee’s chairman, pro-Beijing lawmaker Lo Wai-kwok, of the engineering sector.
“Is the chairman creating a chance for the government to criticise pan-democratic lawmakers for filibustering?” Hui said, adding that he would vote to reject the package if the items could not be scrutinised individually.
Lo, however, said it was the government’s responsibility, not the chairman’s, to decide whether to single out items.
He added that the bundling was done because the items did not involve more than HK$30 million each so were not required to pass through Legco individually.
“If we set a precedent by passing the items one by one, there will be endless discussions,” Lo said. “It’s impossible.”
A government spokeswoman said packaging small-sum items would enable Legco’s finance committee, which includes the subcommittee, to operate more efficiently and focus on scrutinising more expensive projects.
She said the government understood lawmakers’ concerns and would be willing to answer their questions, but if the package was not approved by April 1 it would seriously affect public services.
Among the 26 items, four are related to the Wang Chau development plan, which has been heavily criticised for prioritising a green belt site where three villages are located for the construction of public housing instead of a neighbouring brownfield site said to be entangled in the vested interests of New Territories strongmen.
Eight items are about studies into developing tourism facilities and reclamation on and near Lantau Island, which local residents and concern groups have criticised as expensive and unnecessary.
Six are related to development in the northeast and north New Territories and the Lok Ma Chau Loop area, which protesters have long opposed, saying it would displace many local residents.
