Govt Should Announce Bill Withdrawal: Felix Chung

More pro-government lawmakers are now adding their voice to calls for the withdrawal of the extradition bill, with Liberal Party leader Felix Chung saying on Monday such a move would put a stop to ongoing protests.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced on 15 June that the government would suspend the bill, adding there was no timetable for when the legislation will be put back before Legco, even though she still believed the amendments are needed to plug a "loophole" in the law.

But Chung said the government “shouldn’t be that stubborn” and should make clear that it is withdrawing the bill completely.

“The actual fact… whether to suspend or withdraw… the result is the same. So it’s probably just a wording problem,” he said.

Chung’s views echoed comments of the pro-government DAB party, after its chairwoman Starry Lee said that on Sunday if the government decides to withdraw the bill altogether, her party will understand and support it.

Meanwhile, Chung agreed that the government should set up an independent commission to investigate allegations of police brutality on the 12 June protest outside Legco.

But said the probe should also look into who had been organising and providing resources for the protests and whether there was any foreign interference in the whole incident.

But Executive Council member Jeffrey Lam said he is opposed to the idea of setting up an independent probe into police action. He said there's an established mechanism to handle complaints against the police.

Lam, who's also a Business and Professionals Alliance lawmaker, said it would be good if both the government and protesters sit down and talk things over, to end the disruption.

Lam said he firmly believes the government won't reactivate the legislative procedures for the bill, adding that he'd be "very surprised" if it does.