HONG KONG - Local representatives of the nation’s top legislature and political advisory body threw their weight behind central authorities’ expression of concerns about the deadlock of the city’s Legislative Council.

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Earlier, two central government institutions – the State Council’s Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office and the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region – condemned some opposition lawmakers for holding up the operations of the Hong Kong Legislative Council.

Hong Kong deputies to the NPC and Hong Kong members of the CPPCC said it was the right and duty of the two central government organizations responsible for overseeing Hong Kong affairs to speak out against the dysfunction of the city’s legislature

These opposition lawmakers have obstructed the election of the chairperson of the Legislative Council’s House Committee, an important organ to facilitate the legislature’s smooth operation, for six months in 15 meetings. As a result, 14 bills tabled by the government have remained pending and 89 subsidiary legislations have lapsed.

Two separate statements issued on Saturday by Hong Kong deputies to the National People’s Congress and Hong Kong members of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee said that it was the right and duty of the two central government organizations responsible for overseeing Hong Kong affairs to speak out against the dysfunction of the city’s legislature.

Their rights and duties to supervise affairs that relate to the implementation of the Basic Law, the proper functioning of Hong Kong’s political establishment and the community’s overall interests are stipulated in the Constitution and the Basic Law of Hong Kong SAR, according to the statements.

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Criticizing the opposition politicians’ filibustering tactics, the deputies said in the statements that such acts have undermined Hong Kong people’s interests.

They urged opposition lawmakers to immediately stop these malicious actions.

The society should speak up against such “despicable tactics” and unite together to overcome the coronavirus pandemic, according to the statements.