Holden Chow Accuses Pan-democrats Of Scare Tactics

DAB lawmaker Holden Chow has called on pro-democracy lawmakers not to paralyse Legco's Bills Committee, which is looking at the government's controversial plan to amend Hong Kong's extradition law.

The government wants to be able to send fugitives for trial in jurisdictions with which the SAR currently has no extradition agreements, including the mainland, Macau and Taiwan.

Speaking on RTHK's Letter to Hong Kong, Chow repeated the administration's claim that there is a loophole in the local judicial system - making Hong Kong a haven for fugitives.

He accused the opposition camp of scare tactics - by claiming people could easily be handed over to the mainland.

Chow said "wrongfully" accusing the courts of being unable to safeguard human rights was underestimating the SAR's legal system.

He said he'd heard some suggestions that the Hong Kong court system "has no independence and is bound to follow central government's guidance in adjudicating surrendering applications".

"That is so insulting to our judiciary," Chow said.