Overcoming opposition lawmakers’ multi-pronged delaying tactics, the Legislative Council on Wednesday, with 39 votes in favor and 24 against, finally passed a government motion seeking HK$215 billion ($27.7 billion) in temporary funding to sustain essential government operations until the 2020-21 budget is approved.

The funding package is absolutely necessary for the SAR government to effectively handle matters concerning the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as relief measures to mitigate residents’ suffering from the triple whammy of the novel coronavirus outbreak, the months-long riots, and the lingering Sino-US trade war

The funding package is absolutely necessary for the SAR government to effectively handle matters concerning the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as relief measures to mitigate residents’ suffering from the triple whammy of the novel coronavirus outbreak, the months-long riots, and the lingering Sino-US trade war.

The government’s anti-epidemic efforts would be crippled should the funding request bill fall through by the end of this month. For instance, the government would be unable to provide our medical professionals with the badly needed protective gear, such as surgical masks, face shields and protective coveralls, which need to be paid for in cash, now they’re in great demand.

The great majority of Hong Kong society, undoubtedly, supports the SAR government in doing its very best to contain the spread of the virus. That has given rise to the question: Why have opposition parties, which prefer the label “pan-democrats”, tried so hard to delay the passage of this funding request?

Opposition lawmakers have singled out the Chief Executive’s Office and Hong Kong Police Force as reasons for opposing the funding request. Are they suggesting they should take the helm in this critical moment?

Nothing compares in absurdity with some of the opposition lawmakers’ demand that the police force should be disbanded altogether. Are they prepared to assume the force’ duties, like patrolling the streets, enforcing quarantine orders and pre-empting the criminal plots of gangsters? It takes no more than common sense to figure out what will happen when law enforcement runs out of financial support in the face of a potential public health crisis, not to mention disbanding the police force. That such nonsense has come from our lawmakers must have shocked people who aren’t familiar with the city’s toxic politics.

Criminals never ask about their victims’ political or ideological preference. Neither does any virus respect the feelings of human beings it infects. In that sense, the politically motivated filibustering by opposition lawmakers would have served nobody’s interest, including that of their own. Maybe they were convinced it would help them win the support of political radicals in the upcoming Legislative Council election. But how can the polls proceed as scheduled when Hong Kong is in lockdown because of the COVID-19 pandemic? Do they truly believe democracy is all about harming the overall interests of Hong Kong society in the name of “exercising parliamentary democracy”?