'Withdraw Damaging Plan For West Kowloon Station'

Opponents of the plan for a joint immigration point at West Kowloon Station stepped up the pressure on the government on Friday, urging it to withdraw a Legco bill they say is unconstitutional and will cause irreparable damage to Hong Kong's credibility.

This comes days after the Bar Association queried the legality of the bill and said the Legislative council cannot and may not pass an ordinance that contravenes the Basic Law.

At a media briefing, leaders of the Co-location Concern Group said the bill will seriously undermine Hong Kong's future.

Barrister and former lawmaker Margaret Ng said besides listening to public opinion, the government needs to seriously consider the consequences of enacting this law.

"They will start to pay the price only when the law is passed. But once the law is passed, they will have to continue to pay the price, which is that the credibility will go down and down and down and down," she warned.

"So out of an abundance of good will, and regard for Hong Kong's stability and prosperity, we are telling the government: please think again, you have all the people to help you to think again, withdraw this bad bill now, otherwise you're not going to be able to stop the price this SAR has to pay for a bill of this kind," said Ng.

Another member of the group, University of Hong Kong law professor Benny Tai, said the government has also failed to explain how the existing bill is justified under the Basic Law.

But he acknowledged that, despite the strong legal opinions against the plan, pro-establishment legislators are likely to pass the bill – and this may set off a chain of legal challenges that could end with an interpretation of the Basic Law.

"I think it's the most important problem now – it's not just about the express rail, it's not just about the co-location arrangement – it's about the encroachment on the rule of law of Hong Kong," Tai said.

"We just hope that more Hong Kong citizens will be able to see this matter and the importance of the rule of law to Hong Kong," he said.

But Tai said he was unsure if public opinion alone would be able to sway the government.

Legco's committee scrutinising the bill will meet again on Saturday for a planned 7-hour session to hear from the public on the controversial arrangements envisaged.