OFFICIAL RECORD of PROCEEDINGS Thursday, 10 May 2018 the Council Continued to Meet at Nine O'clock
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LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 10 May 2018 9823 OFFICIAL RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Thursday, 10 May 2018 The Council continued to meet at Nine o'clock MEMBERS PRESENT: THE PRESIDENT THE HONOURABLE ANDREW LEUNG KWAN-YUEN, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE JAMES TO KUN-SUN THE HONOURABLE LEUNG YIU-CHUNG THE HONOURABLE ABRAHAM SHEK LAI-HIM, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE TOMMY CHEUNG YU-YAN, G.B.S., J.P. PROF THE HONOURABLE JOSEPH LEE KOK-LONG, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE JEFFREY LAM KIN-FUNG, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE WONG TING-KWONG, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE STARRY LEE WAI-KING, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN HAK-KAN, B.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN KIN-POR, G.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE PRISCILLA LEUNG MEI-FUN, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE WONG KWOK-KIN, S.B.S., J.P. 9824 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 10 May 2018 THE HONOURABLE MRS REGINA IP LAU SUK-YEE, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CLAUDIA MO THE HONOURABLE MICHAEL TIEN PUK-SUN, B.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE STEVEN HO CHUN-YIN, B.B.S. THE HONOURABLE FRANKIE YICK CHI-MING, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE WU CHI-WAI, M.H. THE HONOURABLE YIU SI-WING, B.B.S. THE HONOURABLE MA FUNG-KWOK, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHARLES PETER MOK, J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN CHI-CHUEN THE HONOURABLE CHAN HAN-PAN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE LEUNG CHE-CHEUNG, S.B.S., M.H., J.P. THE HONOURABLE KENNETH LEUNG THE HONOURABLE ALICE MAK MEI-KUEN, B.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE KWOK KA-KI THE HONOURABLE KWOK WAI-KEUNG, J.P. THE HONOURABLE DENNIS KWOK WING-HANG THE HONOURABLE CHRISTOPHER CHEUNG WAH-FUNG, S.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE HELENA WONG PIK-WAN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 10 May 2018 9825 THE HONOURABLE IP KIN-YUEN DR THE HONOURABLE ELIZABETH QUAT, B.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MARTIN LIAO CHEUNG-KONG, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE POON SIU-PING, B.B.S., M.H. DR THE HONOURABLE CHIANG LAI-WAN, J.P. IR DR THE HONOURABLE LO WAI-KWOK, S.B.S., M.H., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHUNG KWOK-PAN THE HONOURABLE ANDREW WAN SIU-KIN THE HONOURABLE CHU HOI-DICK THE HONOURABLE JIMMY NG WING-KA, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE JUNIUS HO KWAN-YIU, J.P. THE HONOURABLE HO KAI-MING THE HONOURABLE LAM CHEUK-TING THE HONOURABLE HOLDEN CHOW HO-DING THE HONOURABLE SHIU KA-FAI THE HONOURABLE SHIU KA-CHUN THE HONOURABLE WILSON OR CHONG-SHING, M.H. THE HONOURABLE YUNG HOI-YAN DR THE HONOURABLE PIERRE CHAN 9826 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 10 May 2018 THE HONOURABLE CHAN CHUN-YING THE HONOURABLE TANYA CHAN THE HONOURABLE CHEUNG KWOK-KWAN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE HUI CHI-FUNG THE HONOURABLE LUK CHUNG-HUNG THE HONOURABLE LAU KWOK-FAN, M.H. THE HONOURABLE KENNETH LAU IP-KEUNG, B.B.S., M.H., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE CHENG CHUNG-TAI THE HONOURABLE KWONG CHUN-YU THE HONOURABLE JEREMY TAM MAN-HO THE HONOURABLE GARY FAN KWOK-WAI THE HONOURABLE AU NOK-HIN THE HONOURABLE VINCENT CHENG WING-SHUN, M.H. THE HONOURABLE TONY TSE WAI-CHUEN, B.B.S. MEMBERS ABSENT: THE HONOURABLE PAUL TSE WAI-CHUN, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE FERNANDO CHEUNG CHIU-HUNG THE HONOURABLE ALVIN YEUNG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 10 May 2018 9827 PUBLIC OFFICERS ATTENDING: THE HONOURABLE WONG KAM-SING, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, AND CHIEF SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATION THE HONOURABLE PAUL CHAN MO-PO, G.B.M., G.B.S., M.H., J.P. FINANCIAL SECRETARY THE HONOURABLE NICHOLAS W. YANG, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY THE HONOURABLE LAU KONG-WAH, J.P. SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS THE HONOURABLE JAMES HENRY LAU JR., J.P. SECRETARY FOR FINANCIAL SERVICES AND THE TREASURY MR CASPAR TSUI YING-WAI, J.P. UNDER SECRETARY FOR LABOUR AND WELFARE, AND SECRETARY FOR LABOUR AND WELFARE THE HONOURABLE JOSHUA LAW CHI-KONG, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE THE HONOURABLE JOHN LEE KA-CHIU, S.B.S., P.D.S.M., J.P. SECRETARY FOR SECURITY THE HONOURABLE FRANK CHAN FAN, J.P. SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT AND HOUSING DR CHUI TAK-YI, J.P. UNDER SECRETARY FOR FOOD AND HEALTH, AND SECRETARY FOR FOOD AND HEALTH THE HONOURABLE EDWARD YAU TANG-WAH, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 9828 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 10 May 2018 THE HONOURABLE KEVIN YEUNG YUN-HUNG, J.P. SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION THE HONOURABLE PATRICK NIP TAK-KUEN, J.P. SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AND MAINLAND AFFAIRS MR JACK CHAN JICK-CHI, J.P. UNDER SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS CLERKS IN ATTENDANCE: MS ANITA SIT, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL MISS FLORA TAI YIN-PING, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL MS DORA WAI, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL MR MATTHEW LOO, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 10 May 2018 9829 GOVERNMENT BILLS Consideration by Committee of the Whole Council CHAIRMAN (in Cantonese): Good morning. Council is now in committee. We shall continue with the scrutiny of the Appropriation Bill 2018. Mr Andrew WAN, please speak. APPROPRIATION BILL 2018 MR ANDREW WAN (in Cantonese): Good morning, Chairman. I want to put forward the amendment on reducing head 53 by roughly $4 million in respect of subhead 000. The reduction is roughly equivalent to the annual emoluments of the Secretary for Home Affairs. Chairman, there is something rather difficult with this debate. Why? The public may not think that it is so meaningful. To begin with, many government officials do not attend this debate. Even when we discuss the topics related to certain officials, they may not always turn up to listen to us. Yes, they can say that their staff and other officials will give them help. But this makes us think that we are just speaking to a wall, to nobody. Chairman, I myself do not mind if government officials are really too busy to attend our meetings. Members and government officials are all very busy, and our meetings are long, even running for several days in a week. So, they may not been able to stay here for days on end to listen to us. But I am more concerned about whether the Government can hear our views. And, very sadly, as shown by the overall experience of Hong Kong people in the past two years, it looks like the Government is not so heedful of people's opinions. That is why we think we are just speaking to a wall. The population of Hong Kong is as large as 7 million. But there are only 35 directly elected Members in this Council. I am just one of this handful of directly elected Members, and I am even from the democratic camp, which is in the minority in this Council. So, despite the massive public support I have, I really find it very difficult to do anything here. Therefore, Chairman, I have always cherished all such debates. I hope the Chairman can allow me to say something not related to this debate. Chairman, you seem to be particularly "fond" of me, as you frequently forbid me to speak. Why am I so very upset 9830 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 10 May 2018 every time you do so? All is because I find all such debates very precious and cherish them all. Honestly, we just do not know whether the Government can really hear our voices after we have finished speaking. But I must still say that constitutionally and politically, we as Members are duty-bound to reflect people's views to the Government. I have been involved in politics for quite a long time. Very often, I will be very frustrated when I ponder on how I can make actual use of the people's mandate. I will be very frustrated whenever I ponder on how I can promote democratic reform and social policies, bring forth a reasonable distribution of wealth, achieve social justice and make it felt in people's daily lives. It is hard to achieve all this. I suppose all Members here will agree with me on this. I also believe they all want to attain all such objectives. But very sadly, I really find it very hard to do anything. In their impassioned speeches yesterday, many pro-establishment Members lashed out at us for putting forward all these amendments and questioned why we should have proposed the reduction of the expenditure estimates. They commented that our amendments showed that we opposed the Government's allocation of funding for service improvement. I think I must correct them and clarify the whole thing here. Chairman, they focus only on our action of proposing the reduction of expenditure. But they do not tell the whole story and look at why we want to do so. Actually, we want to do so because this is the only means through which we can speak for the people, put pressure on the Government and compel it to do something. Our only weapon is just a table knife, but the Government is holding a big sword; it has the huge Treasury, and it can threaten us with the well-being of all Hong Kong people. This is our only means. Why do they still think that we are in the wrong? Under the constitution and the Rules of Procedure, Legislative Council Members are not permitted to move any amendments on increasing budget expenditure, so we have instead chosen to reduce it.