Ronny Tong, Regina Ip Dismiss Calls To Quit Exco

Executive councillors Ronny Tong and Regina Ip have both rejected calls to resign over the extradition bill controversy.

Liberal Party honorary chairman James Tien said earlier government advisors who supported the decision to press ahead with the contentious bill after the first of two mass anti-extradition rallies on June 9, should quit the Executive Council for giving “bad advice” to the Chief Executive.

Tien said both Tong and Ip had been "very keen" in their support for the now-suspended bill.

Without referring specifically to Tien’s remarks, Tong said in a statement on his Facebook page that there’s an “extremely unhealthy and extremely irresponsible phenomenon" for people to "make up false accusations against public figures and demand that they apologise or even resign”.

Tong said if the person apologises and resigns, it means he or she is admitting the false accusations; but if the person doesn't, he or she would be criticised for being arrogant.

“Since when did our pluralistic and civilised society become like this?” he asked in the statement.

Ip said on Monday she didn't see the need to resign from Exco. She called allegations levelled against her "unreasonable" and "irresponsible".

On claims that she had failed to reflect the public's views to the government, the Exco member and New People's Party lawmaker insisted the extradition bill did have some support in society.

"The substance of the bill has no problem. It's just that the bill has been highly unfortunately demonised by those opposed to it," Ip said.

She also said she has done her job as an Exco member by explaining the bill to the public and helping the government handle the international media.

On Monday, Tien also called on Liberal Party chairman Tommy Cheung to resign from the Executive Council over his support for the government's handling of the extradition controversy.

He said that might have led to further protests, such as the demonstrations at Legco on June 12.

But Cheung rejected calls to step down from Exco. In a statement, he said he's received a number of calls and messages from his party members in support of his work.

He also said Tien may not have truly grasped all the information.

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