Staff reporter
Fifteen lawmakers raised fewer than five questions in the Legislative Council last year, while Election Committee constituency lawmaker So Cheung-wing did not ask officials any questions at all.
It comes after pro-establishment camp convener Martin Liao Cheung-kong sent out a “warm reminder” last year to lawmakers to raise at least 10 questions at Legco meetings.
However, out of the 88 legislative councillors, apart from Legco president Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen, 15 asked less than five questions in the past legislative year ending December 31.
So did not raise any questions, but explained that he had made inquiries through other means.
”Questions that are worth asking have already been raised through other means, including through a member’s bill, speaking in the council meeting or meeting with government officials in private,” he explained.
”I will not force myself into asking pointless questions for the sake of asking, wasting others’ time. Questions raised in the meeting should have value. It is easy to write dozens of questions to ask, but the problem is whether they are worth asking,” So added, but agreed that it is important for lawmakers to ask questions.
Three lawmakers only raised one question last year, including real estate and construction sector lawmaker Louis Loong Hon-biu, who asked the administration whether it had plans to withdraw property market-cooling measures. Loong said he has filed follow-up questions and that he had also spoken at the Chief Executive’s question and answer session, and at sub-committee and panel meetings. “The statistics cannot fully reflect the truth, therefore it should not be used to judge a lawmaker’s work,” Loong added.
Catering sector lawmaker Tommy Cheung Yu-yan of the Liberal Party raised only one question last year, about the resumption of local and mainland poultry supply.
Election Committee sector lawmaker Junius Ho Kwan-yiu’s only question was about the out-patient methadone treatment program.
On the other hand, 19 lawmakers raised over 10 questions, led by New People’s Party chairwoman Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee and Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong’s Elizabeth Quat Pui-fan.
Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macau Studies consultant Lau Siu-kai said the number of questions raised reflects the lawmakers’ active participation.
”But apart from the number of questions, we should also assess the quality of the questions,” Lau said.
Legco House Committee vice chairman Chan Kin-por said the number of questions is an obvious pointer of lawmakers’ performance, adding that most lawmakers are actively asking questions, while some might “need more time.”
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