Civil leaders have accused the opposition camp of using all political means to undermine the government’s administration at the expense of Hong Kong people’s benefits.
The criticism came after opposition lawmakers and district councilors continued to obstruct the operations of the legislative and district councils.
They’re (opposition) just taking advantage of the political system to maintain the momentum of the social unrest
Paul Yeung, columnist
Political commentator Paul Yeung said the opposition camp’s recent moves showed it’s flexing its muscles by taking anti-government protests from the streets to political bodies.
He said the opposition, emboldened by the protracted social unrest, had acted unscrupulously through its filibustering tactics in LegCo after the council resumed meetings in mid-October. By so doing, they’re trying to canvass for votes in the upcoming legislative elections in September, he said.
As a result of the filibustering, the much-anticipated maternity leave extension bill, which proposes to lengthen maternity leave from 10 weeks to 14 weeks, was blocked on Thursday. The new law, which was expected to take effect next year, may now have to be postponed by two years.
Similarly, the LegCo Finance Committee also failed to proceed with a bill proposing salary increases for civil servants at a two-hour meeting on Friday. Opposition lawmakers also thwarted the election of a chairperson and vice-chairperson of the House Committee at its 12th meeting.
In the district councils, Yeung noted that some opposition councilors have been playing the political card since assuming office on Jan 1. He said such behavior is beyond the rights of district councilors because, under the Basic Law, district councils are not an organ of political power.
“In fact, they’re just taking advantage of the political system to maintain the momentum of the social unrest,” Yeung said.
On Tuesday, the Yuen Long District Council set up a task force to investigate an indiscriminate assault on MTR passengers on July 21. The attack has been depicted by the opposition camp as a plot by the police and triads to retaliate against protesters.
Veteran sociologist Lau Siu-kai, who is also vice-president of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, said the opposition camp’s recent moves showed it’s mobilizing all its political resources to undermine the government’s administration.
He warned that such tactics will severely harm the benefits of Hong Kong people, especially the grassroots.
Some newly elected opposition district councilors boycotted a briefing session with Chief Secretary for Administration Matthew Cheung Kin-chung on Friday, the first meeting between the government and the sixth-term councilors.
Kwun Tong District Councilor Frankie Ngan Man-yu, who attended the meeting, said district councilors should serve as a bridge between the government and the public instead of refusing to communicate with the government for political reasons.
He said cutting off such communication may disrupt the operations of district councils, and urged all councilors to reflect on their behavior.
