Pan-dems Say Officials Must Step In Over Deadlock

Pro-democracy lawmakers are criticising the government for refusing to intervene in the deadlock in Legco over the extradition bill.

The committee vetting the bill has so far failed to achieve anything due to conflict between the pro-government and opposition camps over who is the legitimate chairman. Anger between the two sides has led to rowdy scenes in the legislature.

The government says the bill needs to be handled urgently so a local suspect can be extradited to Taiwan for a murder trial.

Lawmaker Charles Mok dismissed comments by the administration that the deadlock was a legislative dispute. He said the government has the power to amend, or withdraw the bill.

"The government, who started the whole mess, must come out and really tell us whether or not they're willing to listen to what we're saying."

"Which is basically to handle the Taiwan case individually, separately and then take a bit of time to sit down with us to take a look at the whole arrangement for extradition and not trying to push it through before July, which is apparently what the government is still trying to do."