Budget Bill and Filibustering

LegCo president Jasper Tsang Yok-sing ruled yesterday that weeks of filibustering by radical lawmakers to block passage of the budget bill had to end by 1pm today. The decision came on the 10th day of a marathon debate over the annual appropriation bill, which received more than 700 amendments from four lawmakers from People Power and the League of Social Democrats.

Tsang said he formed his view after fruitless talks on Friday between Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah and the radicals, whose demands for a universal HK$10,000 handout and a consultation on a universal pension scheme have been rejected.

Senior officials from each of the government departments will gather on Thursday to come up with contingency plans for a "fiscal cliff" - a scenario described by Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying after filibustering blocked the passage of the budget bill.

Tsang’s decision to axe the debate, however, has sparked controversy over the use of his power. Pan-democrats - including those who distanced themselves from the filibustering - accused him of fitting the legislature into the administration's agenda.

Liberal Party honorary chairman James Tien Pei-chun yesterday said it was "irresponsible" and "untrue" for the government to say it would stop spending and that society would come to a halt if the bill could not be passed by the deadline.

Tsang, who will have axed his second filibuster in two years, insisted he was exercising the president's power and duty enshrined in the Basic Law - the city's mini-constitution - and Legco's rules of procedure.