Our selection of the previous week’s most politically charged and controversial soundbites.
(Photo: news.gov.hk)
“I haven’t read the emails. I was just told that we have the emails.” – Anthony Cheung Bing-leung (張炳良)
Singapore Mass Rapid Transit System secretly returned trains manufactured by CSR Sifang Locomotive & Rolling Stock Company Ltd for repair as cracks were discovered on the train structure. The public was alarmed by the news as nine trains for the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link and 93 trains for MTR’s urban lines are going to be manufactured by CSR Sifang.
Later on, a leaked email conversation revealed that the Transport and Housing Bureau had been warned about the quality of the trains and suggested the MTR Corporation not to sign any manufacturing contracts with the China-based manufacturer, but the railway company seem have ignored the recommendation and offered no further information regarding its procurement process.
Secretary for Transport and Housing Anthony Cheung Bing-leung at first claimed he had not received any of such emails, but his bureau later confirmed the staff involved forgot to enclose the attachments when forwarding the emails to the secretary.
“I implored [Leung Ka-lau] to stop motioning quorum calls both for our sake and for Hongkongers’ sake.” – Emily Lau Wai-hing (劉慧卿)
Medical lawmaker Leung Ka-lau (梁家騮) tried to procrastinate voting on the Medical Registration (Amendment) Bill 2016 by motioning quorum calls frequently. Government officials and Legco members who supported the bill – some pro-establishment, some pan-democrat – jointly condemned Leung’s action. Democratic Party Chairwoman Emily Lau Wai-hing said she had told Leung to stop, and claimed it was her first time imploring a person not to do something in 25 years.
“If he refuses to return, the bureau will amend the criminal compulsory measures in accordance with the law.” – Ningbo Public Security Bureau (寧波市公安局)
A Hong Kong official delegation led by Secretary for Justice Rimsky Yuen Kwok-keung (袁國強) visited Beijing and met with Chinese public security officials to discuss the communication mechanism applicable to Hong Kong suspects in mainland China. The video clip of Causeway Bay Bookstore shopkeeper Lam Wing-kee (林榮基) confessing to Ningbo Public Security Bureau during his detention was played during the meeting. Later on, the Ningbo bureau issued a statement accusing Lam for breaking his bail conditions, and claimed they might amend the criminal compulsory measures against Lam if he refuses to return.
