Rivals Can Challenge Me In Court: Abraham Shek

Pro-government lawmaker Abraham Shek has called on his pan-democratic colleagues to go to the courts if they want to challenge his legitimacy as presiding member of the bills committee looking at extradition laws.

The pro-establishment camp and the Legco secretariat say Shek is in charge of the committee, in line with guidelines set by Legco's House Committee, but pan-democrats argued that a properly constituted meeting of the committee elected Democrat James To as chairman last week.

“I do not want to say they are illegal, because it’s not for me to say. If they’re not happy with the House Committee, there’s always a route – go to judicial review, okay?” Shek said on Saturday. It followed what were, in effect, parallel meetings of different versions of the committee.

He added that his committee is operating legitimately, and he will continue to preside over future meetings until a chairman is formally elected, a process that has already started.

Meanwhile Democratic Party chairman Wu Chi-wai said To had been taken ill, and wouldn't be explaining the camp's next steps today.

They were speaking after chaos broke out at the Legislative Council on Saturday morning with several lawmakers injured as the two rival political camps feud over a bills committee discussing extradition laws, with both sides claiming to have the right to preside over the panel’s meeting.

The Legco secretariat later issued a circular saying the next bills committee meeting will be held next Tuesday at 8.30am.

Three pro-Beijing lawmakers, Ben Chan, Elizabeth Quat and Alice Mak, said they had filed a report to police after being injured. Quat said she wanted police to investigate whether anyone violated the Powers and Privileges Ordinance by preventing them from attending the meeting.

Neo-Democrat Gary Fan, who was taken from the meeting in a stretcher, has also filed a report to police, according to a statement from the pan-democratic camp.

The government says it deeply regrets the chaotic situation and the injuries caused in Legco.

A government spokesman said the administration is very worried that Legco's work in scrutinising the extradition bill will be affected if the situation continues, and urged lawmakers to resume their discussions in a rational and peaceful manner.

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