June 12 Probe Should Look At CE Also: James Tien

Former Liberal Party chairman James Tien on Sunday backed calls for an independent inquiry into June 12, when protests aginst the extradition bill flared into violence.

However, he said the probe should not just look at the actions of police, but also at the role of the Chief Executive, Carrie Lam, in handling the protests as well as the allegations of foreign interference.

The police have been under scrutiny since they fired tear gas, bean bag rounds and rubber bullets after protesters gathered around the legislature and government headquarters.

More than 60 protesters and 22 police were injured in the incident, and the Police Commissioner, Stephen Lo, defended the police handling of the matter, saying they were restrained and described the clashes as a riot.

He called for the resignation of those Executive Councillors who had supported Mrs Lam in pushing the extradition bill, saying they should be held accountable.

Tien said Exco should be revamped by adding some moderate opposition voices.

He also said Mrs Lam could placate the public by promising not to bring the bill back to Legco as long as she's in power.

"If she's really regretting what she did on this bill, I think the least she could say is that as long as she's chief executive, she will not lift the (bill's) suspension," Tien said, adding that she could even make it her slogan for re-election to the top job.

He suggested that Lam could also seek to improve her standing with the public by asking the central government to hand over a 2,000-hectare military site in Yuen Long and Tun Mun that's currently held by the People's Liberation Army so it could be used for housing.