Sir,
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DRAFT SPEECH BY HON CHAN YING LUN
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 12.6.85
Legislative Council (Powers and Privileges) Bill 1985
Clause 8 of the Legislative Council (Powers and Privileges) Bill concerns with regulating the admittance of
strangers to the Council Chamber.
This clause has attracted comments from the Hong Kong Affairs Society, Meeting Point, Hong Kong Federation of Students, Hong Kong Christian Council, Hong Kong Journalists Association,
Septentrio Academy, Hong Kong Federation of Catholic Students as
well as Mr Denis CHANG.
Comments on the first part of clause 8(1) focus on the
first sentence, which reads, "no stranger shall be entitled, as of right, to enter or to remain within the precincts of the Chamber" in particular, the words "strangers" and "as of right" seem to be the most contentious. Some people have expressed concern that this would deprive members of the public, including the press, the right to observe the proceedings of the council.
The second part of Clause 8 (1) gives power to the President to order withdrawal of strangers from the precincts of
the LegCo Chamber. Some people are concerned that the President
may have arbitrary power to exclude any person whom he does not
like.
Clause 8(2) gives power to the President to issue such orders as he may deem "necessary or expedient". Some people have again expressed concern over the possible abuse of power.
Comments.
Clause 8(3) is purely administrative and has attracted no
Taking all the representations on Clause 8 as a whole, although two groups called for its deletion, there has been no
denial that the President of the Legislative Council should have
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