HONG KONG - Hong Kong political heavyweights on Tuesday condemned some opposition lawmakers of failing to perform their duties in public office by paralyzing the legislature for over six months.

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On Monday, two central government bodies - the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council and the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong SAR, also deplored the filibustering acts.

The criticism centered on opposition legislator Dennis Kwok Wing-hang, who had presided in 14 meetings without any success in electing the House Committee’s chairperson

Their remarks followed six months of efforts by some opposition legislators to stall the election of the chairperson of the Legislative Council’s House Committee, rendering it powerless in processing dozens of bills and subsidiary laws, some of which are aimed at addressing pressing livelihood issues. 

The criticism centered on opposition legislator Dennis Kwok Wing-hang, who had presided in 14 meetings without any success in electing the committee’s chairperson.

Former chief executive of Hong Kong Leung Chun-ying said it was quite obvious that Kwok's attempt to delay the election was due to his personal political agenda rather than a lack of understanding of procedure or efficiency. 

Leung also said the central government has every right to condemn lawmakers who refuse to perform their constitutional duties under the Basic Law, including taking advantage of loopholes in the LegCo’s rules of procedure to avoid their responsibilities. 

Former chief executive of Hong Kong Leung Chun-ying said it was quite obvious that legislator Dennis Kwok Wing-hang's attempt to delay the election was due to his personal political agenda rather than a lack of understanding of procedure or efficiency

Leung refuted a statement from the opposition camps calling the LegCo’s paralysis "an internal matter of Hong Kong”.  Leung stressed that the SAR’s high degree of autonomy is based on the Basic Law. While exercising the powers conferred to it by the Basic Law, the Legislative Council must also perform its duties in accordance with the Basic Law, said Leung. 

Tam Yiu-chung, a member of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, said the criticism by the central government bodies was based on facts. Obstructing the proper functioning of the Legislative Council for half a year was an obvious dereliction of duty, Tam said.

Executive Councilor and barrister Ronny Tong Ka-wah said that Kwok might have abused his powers in presiding over the committee election. Kwok may have exercised his power conferred by the rules of procedure, but he has acted contrary to keeping a smooth functioning of the Legislative Council, Tong said.

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Tong appealed to the Legislative Council president Leung Kwan-yuen to put a stop to such abuse of power. If the chairman finds himself legally unable to stop the abuses, he should take the initiative to seek court assistance, Tong said.

Barrister and lawmaker Priscilla Leung Mei-fun, questioned Kwok's ability to conduct meetings. He had wasted a huge amount of time by indulging lawmakers to speak without time limit, the lawmaker said.

Priscilla Leung said Kwok, who is also a lawyer, had failed the trust of the legal profession. Because of the opposition camp’s filibustering, the procedure of ratifying the appointment of the Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal has also been delayed.