Benny Tai Warns Of More 'bulldozing' In Legco

Occupy Central founder Benny Tai said on Friday that he expects Legco President Andrew Leung to use the same tactics as he employed on Thursday, when bills come up on sensitive issues like protecting the national anthem and Article 23 national security legislation.

Leung's decision to cut short the debate time for councillors, and his ejection of five pro-democracy lawmakers prompted fierce protests from the opposition as Legco on Thursday passed a controversial bill that will allow mainland officials to operate at the West Kowloon terminus of the express rail link.

Tai said Leung's actions were an "authoritarian form of the rule of law", aimed at suppressing the ability of people to act as checks on those in power.

He said this is the same type of strategy that's used by the Chinese communist party.

"They may do all the things in accordance with the law, but they may twist the meaning of the law, add meanings to the legal provisions and not following requirement of procedural fairness," said Tai, who is an associate law professor at the Hong Kong university.

Tai told RTHK's Damon Pang that the aim of such a strategy is to weaken the opposition in Hong Kong.

He was speaking after attending a media briefing at which some 20 concern groups and political parties demanded that Leung resign from his post.

They accused him of abusing his power, violating Legco rules and unreasonably stripping lawmakers of their right to speak when the council debated the rail bill. They also said they may consider filing a judicial review over his actions.