Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung condemned a filibustering action imposed by a lawmaker in the Legislative Council today.
The move prevented the press and the public from attending a LegCo meeting, stalling the debate on the non-binding motion on the co-location arrangement for the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link.
Mr Cheung said lawmakers who abuse the power given in the LegCo Rules of Procedure to filibuster meetings should be condemned.
"It is deplorable that (an) individual LegCo member has chosen to resort to Rules of Procedure 88(1) - absolutely inconceivable to exclude the media and members of the public from covering and attending LegCo proceedings.
"This is totally unbelievable and unacceptable, and we should condemn this very act of invoking this particular section.
"The idea is a delaying tactic. It is not in the public interest. It goes against public interest to exclude the media. Hong Kong is an open society accountable to the community and transparency is very, very important. I cannot see any single reason why 88(1) (of the Rules of Procedure) has to be resorted to."
Mr Cheung said the Government must follow proceedings and respect the decision of the LegCo Chairman, adding he hopes the debate can be completed today.
