Legco fully supports Article 23 proposals
Legislative Council President Andrew Leung on Tuesday said Legco welcomes and fully supports the government's proposals on Basic Law Article 23 national security legislation.   Leung told reporters that he is confident officials will explain the details of the proposals clearly to lawmakers and the public.  "During the consultation, we believe the government and our fellow legislators will explain to the public, the business sector, and the international sector about the national security... I believe that during the legislative process, we can further explain word by word, clause by clause, the details of the bill," he said.  Exco convenor and New People's Party lawmaker Regina Ip, who was security secretary when the government failed in its bid to introduce Article 23 legislation more than 20 years ago, told RTHK that the proposals are more comprehensive this time around.  "That's because of the events of 2019, during which time Hong Kong experienced unprecedented political violence, vandalisation of this council, attacks on police headquarters. So the government had to introduce offences like rebellion, insurrection, to ensure that the aggravated nature of such violence is recognised in the law and given due penalties," she said.  Executive councillor and legislator Jeffrey Lam said he believes the one-month public consultation period is long enough, adding that the proposed legislation won't affect businesses investing in the SAR. "Everybody can start writing in now to express their opinion. There is still a lot of work to be done after the close of the consultation period. The government is open to hear views from all sectors. We also would like to take this opportunity to go out and explain, if there are any questions, to answer questions from the foreign community," Lam said.  Lawmaker and barrister Priscilla Leung said Hong Kong has to seize the opportunity to fulfil its constitutional duty and prevent a repeat of what happened in 2019. "We have dragged 20 years. It has been too long. The sooner the better for Hong Kong to grab this opportunity to do a good job in accordance with common law tradition as well as to absorb the strength of our national security law of Hong Kong, so that the two work together to leave no loopholes for any malicious forces to hurt Hong Kong people," she said.  Meanwhile, welfare sector lawmaker Tik Chi-yuen said he hopes the government will listen to public views during the consultation exercise.