Partygoing Lawmakers Urged To Stay Away From Legco

Legco president Andrew Leung said on Monday that he "strongly advises" 16 lawmakers who recently attended a Covid-hit banquet to skip the first full council meeting of the new term this Wednesday.

Two people who joined a birthday party for National People's Congress delegate Witman Hung on January 3 have since tested positive for Covid-19, triggering quarantine orders for senior government officials and lawmakers who were also present.

Leung said although the quarantine requirement has been lifted for those who left before the Covid patients arrived, the lawmakers involved in the saga should avoid going out until they have been confirmed to be Covid-negative by more rounds of tests.

"They can watch the online broadcast on Wednesday, I think that's what they can do," Leung told reporters.

He also explained that videoconferencing arrangements cannot be made just for these lawmakers, due to Legco rules.

"I think the law is very simple, the resolution will be that if we cannot hold physical meetings, then we will switch everything to Zoom mode," he said.

But Leung added that despite his advice, it's up to the lawmakers themselves to decide if they want to attend Wednesday's meeting or not.

The DAB said its three lawmakers who went to the banquet – Nixie Lam, Elizabeth Quat and Lillian Kwok – have decided to heed the Legco president's advice and are "leaning towards" not attending Wednesday's council meeting.

The New People's Party said three members – Lai Tung-kwok, Eunice Yung and Judy Chan – will skip the meeting.

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