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Friday, May 17, 2019, 12:21
Lam: Impossible to retract extradition bill
By He Shusi
Friday, May 17, 2019, 12:21 By He Shusi

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam  delivers the opening keynote address at the thematic forum on financial connectivity of the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing, April, 25, 2019. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVERNMENT)

It is impossible for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government to withdraw the extradition law amendment bill, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said on Thursday.

It is impossible to withdraw the bill, because major weaknesses in the current mechanism have still not been amended

Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor,

Chief Executive,

Hong Kong SAR

Speaking to reporters during her visit to Guangzhou, Lam reiterated that the purpose of the proposed amendments to the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance and the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Ordinance is to plug legal loopholes for surrendering fugitive offenders.

It is impossible to withdraw the bill, because major weaknesses in the current mechanism have still not been amended, she said. As Hong Kong’s leader, Lam stressed that she had a constitutional obligation to resolve this difficult legal issue.

Opposition lawmakers have been obstructing election of a chairperson for the dedicated bills committee on the amendments. Lam, therefore, urged them to perform their constitutional duties and start scrutinizing the bill as soon as possible.

READ MORE: Amending extradition law is the only option worthy of attention

The same day, lawmakers from the pro-establishment and opposition camps held a meeting to discuss solutions to the current deadlock in the bills committee. The talks ended after about 20 minutes with no agreement reached.

Legislator Alice Mak Mei-kuen criticized the opposition camp for putting up a “show” instead of offering sincere and constructive suggestions after the meeting.

The House Committee of the Legislative Council, which set up the bills committee, will decide the best way to go forward. 

The government proposed the amendments on April 3. These were prompted by a murder case in Taiwan — where a Hong Kong man accused of murdering his girl friend fled back to the SAR.

ALSO READ: HK residents rally in support of extradition law amendments

The amendments will allow Hong Kong to surrender fugitive offenders to jurisdictions with which it doesn’t have rendition arrangements at the moment. These include Taiwan, Macao and the Chinese mainland.

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