Legislative Council (LegCo) President Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen said on Wednesday that the legislature will not become a “rubber stamp” under the executive-led system, as a better Hong Kong depends on both the executive and legislative branches faithfully performing their respective duties.

Speaking a few minutes after the current-term Legislative Council’s final meeting, Leung described the past four years as highly productive that leaves him with “no regrets” over his nine-year tenure as LegCo president.

Leung was elected LegCo president in 2016 at the start of the sixth-term legislature. His first presidential tenure lasted for five years, as the ending date of that session was extended from September 2020 to December 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a decision made by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress — the nation’s top legislature.

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He was once again elected as president in 2022, when the seventh-term LegCo commenced.

The four-year term passed 130 bills, representing an increase of over 60 percent compared with the 81 bills passed in the previous term. He said that nearly half of the government’s proposed amendments to legislation during this term incorporated suggestions from lawmakers, demonstrating the executive branch’s responsiveness to constructive input, calling it the “best demonstration of positive executive-legislative interaction”.

In the current legislative year alone, LegCo passed 41 government bills and two members’ bills, some of which addressed long-standing issues in Hong Kong, including the regulation of subdivided flats and ride-hailing services.

Leung said he believes that lawmakers themselves will feel satisfied upon seeing the outstanding “report card” of the current LegCo term and its tangible work for the public.

Reflecting on his 21 years as a legislator, nine of them as president, Leung expressed immense pride in having witnessed Hong Kong’s transition “from chaos to order, and from stability to prosperity”.

“I have no regrets. At least I tried my best, even at the most difficult times. I faced the problems straight on, even though there might be threats to my safety, I still carried on without any fear,” he said.

Looking ahead, Leung said that a new code of conduct for LegCo members will be implemented in the next term, which he believes will help the council better perform its constitutional role and assist the government in improving governance.

The LegCo general election is scheduled for Dec 7, and the nomination period will begin on Friday. With 22 incumbent lawmakers, including Leung, having declared that they will not seek another term as of Wednesday, the new-term legislature is expected to see a significant influx of new faces.

On the qualities needed for candidates in the upcoming LegCo election, Leung said that personal integrity is paramount. He said he has seen many promising young people considering a run, and he has offered them advice.

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Leung likened LegCo to a “goldfish tank”, in which every action of its members is under constant public scrutiny.

“Serving as a legislator means setting an example. One must conduct themselves properly, and in their private life, and hopefully set a good model for Hong Kong residents,” Leung said, expressing hope that more young talents with a genuine commitment to Hong Kong will step forward to run.

LegCo members serve four-year terms with 90 members being elected from 10 geographical, 28 functional and the Election Committee constituencies.

Contact the writer at stacyshi@chinadailyhk.com