LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 7 May 2020 6181 OFFICIAL RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Thursday, 7 May 2020 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 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. 6182 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 7 May 2020 THE HONOURABLE MRS REGINA IP LAU SUK-YEE, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE PAUL TSE WAI-CHUN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE CLAUDIA MO 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, B.B.S., 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 CHRISTOPHER CHEUNG WAH-FUNG, S.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE FERNANDO CHEUNG CHIU-HUNG THE HONOURABLE IP KIN-YUEN THE HONOURABLE ELIZABETH QUAT, B.B.S., J.P. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 7 May 2020 6183 THE HONOURABLE MARTIN LIAO CHEUNG-KONG, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE POON SIU-PING, B.B.S., M.H. 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 DR THE HONOURABLE JUNIUS HO KWAN-YIU, J.P. THE HONOURABLE HO KAI-MING THE HONOURABLE SHIU KA-FAI, J.P. THE HONOURABLE SHIU KA-CHUN THE HONOURABLE CHAN CHUN-YING, J.P. THE HONOURABLE TANYA CHAN THE HONOURABLE HUI CHI-FUNG THE HONOURABLE LUK CHUNG-HUNG, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE CHENG CHUNG-TAI THE HONOURABLE KWONG CHUN-YU THE HONOURABLE VINCENT CHENG WING-SHUN, M.H., J.P. THE HONOURABLE TONY TSE WAI-CHUEN, B.B.S. 6184 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 7 May 2020 MEMBERS ABSENT: THE HONOURABLE JAMES TO KUN-SUN THE HONOURABLE MICHAEL TIEN PUK-SUN, B.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LEUNG CHE-CHEUNG, S.B.S., M.H., J.P. THE HONOURABLE DENNIS KWOK WING-HANG DR THE HONOURABLE HELENA WONG PIK-WAN DR THE HONOURABLE CHIANG LAI-WAN, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ALVIN YEUNG THE HONOURABLE JIMMY NG WING-KA, B.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LAM CHEUK-TING THE HONOURABLE HOLDEN CHOW HO-DING THE HONOURABLE WILSON OR CHONG-SHING, M.H. THE HONOURABLE YUNG HOI-YAN, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE PIERRE CHAN THE HONOURABLE CHEUNG KWOK-KWAN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE LAU KWOK-FAN, M.H. THE HONOURABLE KENNETH LAU IP-KEUNG, B.B.S., M.H., J.P. THE HONOURABLE JEREMY TAM MAN-HO THE HONOURABLE CHAN HOI-YAN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 7 May 2020 6185 PUBLIC OFFICERS ATTENDING: DR THE HONOURABLE LAW CHI-KWONG, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR LABOUR AND WELFARE THE HONOURABLE EDWARD YAU TANG-WAH, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THE HONOURABLE PATRICK NIP TAK-KUEN, J.P. SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE THE HONOURABLE CASPAR TSUI YING-WAI, J.P. SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS THE HONOURABLE CHRISTOPHER HUI CHING-YU SECRETARY FOR FINANCIAL SERVICES AND THE TREASURY 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 6186 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 7 May 2020 GOVERNMENT BILL Consideration by Committee of the Whole Council CHAIRMAN (in Cantonese): This Council will continue to consider the Appropriation Bill 2020. Mr KWOK Wai-keung, please speak. APPROPRIATION BILL 2020 MR KWOK WAI-KEUNG (in Cantonese): Good morning, Chairman and colleagues. I am going to speak on the 42 heads with no amendment but I would like to respond to the remarks of Dr CHENG Chung-tai, the last colleague who spoke yesterday. Dr CHENG Chung-tai said that the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions ("FTU") distributed face masks because they have a mask factory, and hence they won applause. I would like to tell Members that it is really not easy for FTU to set up a mask factory because we have no experience in running business. We can only set up a mask factory with the assistance of people from different sectors and there are also volunteers toiling day after day to produce masks. I waited till last week to visit the factory for the first time when the work is well on track as I did not want to disrupt the operation before then. The factory still needs the help of a lot of volunteers. FTU also needs the assistance of many people in sending drugs to the Mainland. Although we are under great pressure, we are working hard. Chairman, the epidemic has receded slightly these days and various places of the world hope that the economic will recover as soon as possible. It is a pity that black-clad rioters in Hong Kong are getting ready for actions again. They have illegally assembled many times, violating the group gathering restrictions. Last night, some people engaged in vigilante attacks, humiliating people with differing opinions. Yet, the opposition camp and the "mutual destruction camp" have not said a word. This is because they are blind and have not read the news. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 7 May 2020 6187 Chairman, among the 52 amendments, Amendment Nos. 26 to 32 target the Police Force. Amendment No. 26 proposed by Dr Fernando CHEUNG seeks to reduce the annual expenditure of the Police Force by $25 billion. Amendment No. 30 seeks to reduce the provisions for alterations, additions and improvements to in-service Marine Police craft by $1.5 million and Amendment No. 32 seeks to reduce the provisions for repair and maintenance of police specialised vehicles by $100 million. Chairman, the reduction of the expenditure of the Police Force by $25 billion in one go is really exaggerating. Evidently, the "mutual destruction camp" picks on the Police. They talked wildly against the Police but in reality, can we really do away with the Police in Hong Kong? The "mutual destruction camp" seeks to reduce all the expenditure on the salaries of the Police Force; in other words, they want to dismiss all policemen. If all policemen are dismissed, will Hong Kong become a police-free place where black-clad rioters will arbitrarily damage, assault and rob? This is the aspiration of the "mutual destruction camp", they want to drive all policemen away so that they can run amok. Chairman, if there is no policeman in Hong Kong, who will do justice to Mr LUO who died after being hit by a brick? Who will seek justice for Mr LEE who was set on fire and suffered from burns? Black-clad rioters will definitely not do so because those acts are committed by them. Who will safeguard the lives and property of the public? The Police have recently cracked down on a number of cases related to bombs, firearms and illegal assemblies. Of course, this sounds disagreeable to the "mutual destruction camp" because they will stand up for their "brothers". Chairman, the Police have to deal with incidents concerning noise nuisance, traffic congestion and traffic accidents. When members of the public have lost their wallets, they will report to the Police; the Police will also issue tickets for violation of the group gathering restrictions. When members of the public are deceived in online shopping or phone scams, these cases will also be handled by the Police. Can Hong Kong do away with the Police? What justifications do they have to reduce the salaries of all policemen? They are not in a position to do so and it is unreasonable for them to do so. Chairman, you are also an employer; employees may have their wages deducted if they take up fewer work, but their wages cannot be deducted when they take up more work. The "mutual destruction camp" thinks that they are 6188 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 7 May 2020 affected because the Police have done too much; thus, the Police's salaries should be deducted. When the "mutual destruction camp" caused the abortion of a meeting, they could finish work early but their salaries will not be deducted. On the contrary, when the Police are bustling around with increasing workload, there is a request to deduct their salaries. Chairman, what kind of world is this? Furthermore, owing to filibustering by the "mutual destruction camp" in the past, the expenditures on various public works projects have increased. The House Committee still failed to elect a chairman after holding more than 10 meetings. At least $8 million have been wasted. As the House Committee has come to a standstill, many bills that are closely related to people's livelihood have to be suspended.