4 | Thursday, April 23, 2020 HONG KONG EDITION | CHINA DAILY HONG KONG State Council approves HK govt reshu e Five bureau chiefs are appointed to (I hope) they can do assist the Chief appropriate things in Executive in a timely manner.” dealing with Lo Wai-kwok, lawmaker for the engineering economic fallout constituency of last year’s unrest, ongoing of the Democratic Alliance for the pandemic Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, the city’s largest political party, said the new governing team should be united to fi ght the coro- By KATHY ZHANG in Hong Kong navirus pandemic and prepare to [email protected] bolster the city’s economy after the epidemic is under control. The appointment of five new Lee said she hopes the new o - bureau heads of the Hong Kong cials will be sincere with residents Special Administrative Region was and lead Hong Kong’s effort to announced by the State Council on move on from the current medi- Wednesday. cal crisis. The bureau chiefs will lead the Alice Mak Mei-kuen, a lawmaker city as it overcomes the hardships of the Hong Kong Federation of brought about by the anti-gov- Trade Unions, hopes more aggres- ernment unrest last year and the sive and effective measures can ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, civic be adopted to support employees leaders said. battered by the social unrest and Erick Tsang Kwok-wai, previ- Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor (third from right) poses with the five newly appointed key officials in Hong Kong. The State epidemic. ously director of immigration, was Council on Wednesday announced the appointment of several key HKSAR government officials, based on Lam’s nominations, and the Lo Wai-kwok, a lawmaker for the appointed secretary for constitu- appointments are expected to bring a new impression of the government’s credibility and capability. PARKER ZHENG / CHINA DAILY engineering constituency, expects tional and mainland a airs, replac- the new o cials to fi rst work on ing Patrick Nip Tak-kuen. residents’ pressing issues in this Nip was appointed secretary for as secretary for innovation and sions were based on the nomi- rus pandemic. They will also focus and Mainland A airs Tsang said di cult time. “(I hope) they can the civil service, replacing Joshua technology, replacing Nicholas nations of the chief executive. on retaining and creating jobs, as the Legislative Council election do appropriate things in a timely Law Chi-kong. Yang Wei-hsiung. Speaking at a news conference, well as improving people’s liveli- slated for September and the pro- manner,” he said. Caspar Tsui Ying-wai, under- James Henry Lau was removed Lam expressed admiration for the hoods, in the remaining two years motion of the Constitution and The appointments are expected secretary for Labour and Welfare, as secretary for fi nancial services newly appointed o cials, who are of her current term, Lam said. the Basic Law will top his work to give residents a new impression replaced Lau Kong-wah as secre- and the treasury. Christopher Hui taking their respective positions at Nip, the new civil service chief, agenda. about the government’s credibility tary for home a airs. Ching-yu, executive director of a di cult time. vowed to lead civil servants to safe- Di erent sectors of Hong Kong and capability, said Lau Siu-kai, The State Council also appointed Financial Services Development The Hong Kong leader pledged guard the rule of law and serve expressed their expectations on the vice-president of the Chinese Asso- Alfred Sit Wing-hang, director of Council, replaced him. that the governing team will make residents with full commitment. new o cials’ performance. ciation of Hong Kong and Macao electrical and mechanical services, The central government’s deci- every e ort to fi ght the coronavi- New Secretary for Constitutional Starry Lee Wai-king, chairperson Studies. Basic Law expert Court of Appeal’s backs two o ces’ ruling on mask ban censure of Kwok right decision: Chen By JOSEPH LI in Hong Kong By JOSEPH LI in Hong Kong does not have any powers as [email protected] [email protected] such. The election is his only responsibility. The Court of Appeal has recent- Every government Opposition lawmaker Den- Fifteen meetings have been ly reversed the verdict of the Court in the world should nis Kwok Wing-hang from held between October and of First Instance, handing down have emergency the Civic Party has neglected Friday. But Kwok, in allow- a fresh ruling that the Emergen- his duties by failing to elect a ing opposition lawmakers to Law professor cy Regulations Ordinance is not powers to deal with chairman of the Legislative speak widely and freely on Albert Chen unconstitutional and is consistent emergencies and Hung-yee says 15 arrested over Council House Committee irrelevant topics, never start- with the Basic Law. opposition public danger. There after 15 meetings, says Albert ed the nomination and elec- The Court of Appeal also lawmaker Dennis tion process, which usually are different proce- Chen Hung-yee, a Basic Law Kwok Wing-hang assemblies quashed part of the original ver- Committee member and law takes around 10 minutes. has neglected dict, which said the Prohibition dures in different “The failure of the House professor at the University of his duties. PARKER on Face Covering Regulation was countries.” Hong Kong. Committee to elect a chair- ZHENG / CHINA DAILY broke public totally unconstitutional. Unlike Opposition lawmakers man after 15 meetings in six the initial verdict, the Court of Albert Chen Hung-yee, have also abused their pow- months is scandalous and Appeal ruled that it is against the Basic Law Committee member ers by discussing unrelated a matter of grave concern,” recent statements or com- security law law for people to wear face masks and law professor at the issues at length during House Chen tells China Daily in an ments.” at unlawful assemblies, but they University of Hong Kong Committee meetings in order exclusive interview. Chen reckons the oppo- do have the right to wear them at to filibuster and delay the “The paralysis of LegCo’s sition camp is shifting the By JOSEPH LI in Hong Kong peaceful gatherings. election, Chen says. legislative functions is clear- focus to Article 22 to cover [email protected] Furthermore, the Court of emergency powers to deal with This fi asco and Kwok’s mis- ly detrimental to the public up their misconduct. But it Appeal struck down the provision emergencies and public danger. conduct have sparked strong interest and is causing a seri- is not easy to charge Kwok Law professor Albert Chen Hung-yee says the on police powers that requires There are different procedures condemnation from the Hong ous malfunction of LegCo’s with breaching the LegCo 15 public fi gures arrested on Saturday on suspi- people to take their masks o , rul- in different countries. In some, Kong and Macao Affairs constitutional role as con- oath under Article 104, which cion of organizing or participating in unauthor- ing such powers restrict human the emergency law only becomes Office of the State Council, ferred by the Basic Law.” requires him to uphold the ized assemblies last year have defi nitely broken rights and exceed the proportion- e ective after it is announced that and the Liaison O ce of the As a result, at least 14 bills Basic Law and to swear alle- Hong Kong’s public security law. ality test. the country or city is in a state of Central People’s Government have been held up, including giance to the Hong Kong SAR Among those arrested were former Demo- Police can still ask people to public danger. in the Hong Kong SAR. the National Anthem Bill and of the People’s Republic of cratic Party chairman Martin Lee Chu-ming and take masks o to reveal their iden- “In Hong Kong, the mask ban In Chen’s view, these two a bill to extend the statutory China. Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, owner of the Apple Daily tities by virtue of the Public Order was introduced in the form of sub- o ces rightly spoke out dur- maternity leave, and 89 piec- “A very high threshold is newspaper, who is believed to be key fi nancer Ordinance and the Police Force sidiary legislation, which requires ing a time of constitutional es of subsidiary legislation, as required with regard to pros- and mastermind of the opposition camp. Ordinance. negative vetting by the Legislative crisis, and their actions did they could not be scrutinized ecuting for the offense of Penalties for unauthorized assembly o enses Albert Chen Hung-yee, a Basic Council. Yet the opposition camp not constitute an interven- by LegCo plenary meetings breaking the LegCo oath. The were generally not severe, Chen adds. Law Committee member and legal wasted the opportunity to vet the tion in Hong Kong a airs, as before being endorsed by the matter has not yet reached People were seldom prosecuted for the o ense academic, is satisfied with the mask ban before the expiry date is alleged by some people. House Committee. this level,” Chen says. of taking part in unauthorized assemblies, the latest ruling. “The ruling by the because of the semi-paralysis of It will not be easy to fi nd a Chen believes the state- “As to misconduct in public professor says. Numerous unauthorized assem- Court of Appeal is close to what I LegCo and its House Committee,” solution, he says, and court ments made by the HKMAO office, this is often used to blies take place every year, and each is attended predicted at the beginning, while Chen said.