MR CHAN KIN-POR (in Cantonese): Chairman, the paper provided by the Government has actually explained the purpose of each funding provision. As the Chairman has said, Members should focus on discussing the purpose of the funding provisions and avoid going beyond the policy ambit. Nor should we cite individual examples or comment on the performance of public officers. I trust that the Chairman will continue to tighten up the rules.
I nonetheless do not want to talk about this now. I just want to point out, regarding the abovementioned example concerning the Independent Police Complaints Council (IPCC), of which I am the Vice-chairman, numerous wrong or inaccurate information have been disseminated. I am afraid that it would be impossible for the Government to do the right thing as it is now caught in a predicament. Given that a lot of inaccurate or wrong information have been disseminated to the public, if the Government continues to elucidate point by point, I am afraid it takes ages to get things done and will create the effect of a filibuster. In the past, the Government often chose not to respond so as to prevent a filibuster or achieve the purpose of getting the motions passed expeditiously. Yet, this has caused serious consequences. Though the motions can be passed expeditiously, members of the public have at the same time received a lot of wrong or false information, thinking that the Government is really so incompetent.
Although I am aware that there is still plenty of room for improvement on the part of the Government, many remarks are inaccurate. After listening for a long while upstairs, I found that many information provided are inaccurate. Despite my words, they may continue to filibuster; but this does not matter, what matters most is to convey a clear message to the public that many of their remarks are inaccurate, and that the Government does not respond for fear of a filibuster. I therefore call on the Government to be determined and should no longer adopt such an attitude, which will only yield short-term benefits. Instead, it should consider the long-term effect brought to this Council and members of the public. Many people have been brainwashed by these Members and have started to believe in what they have said.
All these are my heartfelt words and Members really … In view of all these changes in Hong Kong, being a Member, I find pretty helpless. I think Members should … The Government must be determined, and it should, even not on this occasion, at least elucidate the most ridiculous mistakes either in writing or … It should at least put the record straight and put on record how weird and ridiculous their dispositions are, and then refute point by point on other occasions, either in writing or through the submission of reports.
Chairman, you have already done a good job and I think you will gradually tighten up the rules, but I hope that you will not disappoint us by taking too long.