Latest news with #DAB
HKFP
25-07-2025
- Politics
- HKFP
Letting gay couples who wed online register locally will ‘twist one's definition of marriage,' lawmaker says
Allowing gay couples who married remotely overseas to register their partnerships in Hong Kong would 'twist one's definition of marriage,' a pro-Beijing lawmaker has said, as meetings about the government's same-sex rights bill continued. Speaking during a Legislative Council discussion on Friday, lawmaker Holden Chow referred to a clause in the bill that says couples whose marriage, civil partnership or union was conducted 'by remote means' would be eligible to register their partnerships in Hong Kong. In recent years, online weddings officiated virtually in countries where same-sex marriage is legal have become more common in the LGBTQ community, including in Hong Kong. 'This will instantly twist one's definition of marriage,' said Chow, a member of the city's largest pro-establishment party, the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB). Friday marked the second day of meetings in the Legislative Council's Bills Committee on the Registration of Same-Sex Partnerships Bill. A total of 15 lawmakers are reviewing the government's proposal before it returns to the council meeting for a vote by the city's 89 lawmakers. Almost all pro-establishment parties with representation in the Legislative Council, such as the DAB, the Liberal Party and the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions, have said they will vote against the bill, calling the framework it proposes a threat to the traditional heterosexual marriage system. Only the New People's Party has shown support for the bill. The Legislative Council lost its opposition after an overhaul in 2021 required all lawmakers to be 'patriots' to run. On Friday, lawmaker Peter Shiu echoed Chow's comments about remote weddings and asked the government to consider limiting the registration of same-sex partnerships to those who wed overseas in person. In response, Deputy Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Raymond Sy said letting those who got married virtually register their marriages locally was aimed at making the process more convenient for them, as not everybody could travel overseas to tie the knot. Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang added in Cantonese: 'If the laws [in those jurisdictions] allow online [registration], then we cannot exclude it.' Top court ruling The government's proposal comes as Hong Kong has around three months left to establish a framework for recognising same-sex partnerships, following a top court ruling in 2023 that found the lack of such a mechanism unconstitutional. The Court of Final Appeal gave the government two years to put such a mechanism in place, with the deadline coming up in late October. The bill is limited to granting registered couples rights in matters relating to healthcare and death, such as hospital visits, making medical decisions, and collecting the body of a deceased partner. At least one person in the couple must be a Hong Kong resident. On Friday, Tsang said the proposed framework was based on considerations including the 'actual situation' in society, traditional family values and the public's interests. Among the 15 members of the bills committee, only one – Regina Ip of the New People's Party – has expressed support for the bill. She said accepting couples who got married online was necessary, adding that the option was needed for people who were seriously ill or on their deathbed, and wanted to have their relationship recognised while they were still alive. Ahead of submitting the proposed framework to the Legislative Council earlier this month, the government did not hold any public consultations despite LGBTQ advocacy groups' efforts to reach out to the authorities. No public hearings, where members of the public present their views to officials in Legislative Council meetings, will be held, with only written submissions invited. Azan Marwah, a family lawyer who has represented clients in LGBTQ-related court cases, said in his submission that he supported the government's commitment to comply with the top court ruling, but that the framework did not go far enough. The 'best way for the Legislative Council to create equality' is to introduce same-sex marriage, he said, citing a 2023 survey that showed around 60 per cent of Hong Kong people support it. He called for protection for the children of same-sex couples, saying it would 'strengthen the values of commitment, love and mutual support.'
South China Morning Post
22-07-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
CY Leung warns against DAB scheme to sell Hong Kong property to mainlanders
Former Hong Kong leader Leung Chun-ying has voiced reservations about a proposal by the city's largest political party to set up a scheme allowing mainland Chinese to buy local property through direct remittance, saying it is not in the best interests of residents. Advertisement Leung, now a vice-chairman of the country's top political advisory body, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said on Tuesday that the local government should always prioritise Hongkongers' needs first rather than seek to boost the property market. The proposal was put forward by the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB), which suggested setting up a closed-loop capital pool that allowed migrants who entered through talent admission schemes to transfer money from the mainland to buy Hong Kong properties. Under mainland rules, individuals can transfer a maximum of US$50,000 a year, carry 20,000 yuan (US$2,810) in cash each time they cross the border and withdraw up to 100,000 yuan a year from mainland accounts in Hong Kong. The party, which submitted the proposal to Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu for his next policy address, argued that such a measure would help retain mainland talent in Hong Kong. Advertisement But Leung on Tuesday cautioned against such a proposal, arguing the government should put Hongkongers' interests first.
RTHK
16-07-2025
- Business
- RTHK
Tighter SIM card limit 'won't impact on daily life'
Tighter SIM card limit 'won't impact on daily life' Elizabeth Quat said people who need to get SIM cards for their family members and domestic helpers can get up to 12 if they need to. Photo: RTHK A proposed tighter limit on SIM card registrations will not affect the daily life of Hong Kong residents, DAB lawmaker Elizabeth Quat said. Her remarks came after the government proposed to lower the maximum registration limit for individuals from the current 10 prepaid SIM cards per service provider to three in a bid to combat phone scams. The government also aims to criminalise the improper use of SIM cards registered with the personal information of others. Speaking on the RTHK programme "In the Chamber", Quat, who chairs the Legislative Council's panel on information technology and broadcasting, said she supports the government's proposal to combat scams. 'According to government data, more than 90 percent of people register for three SIM cards at most. So I believe the proposed new limit of three SIM cards would be enough,' she said. 'Some people would register SIM cards for their family members and domestic helpers. "But they could still get as many as 12 cards if they register with all four major telecommunication service providers." Quat also said people registering SIM cards for family members would not be regarded as violating the law. She urged the government to enhance education so that the public can be vigilant against scams.
RTHK
07-07-2025
- Business
- RTHK
Further relax listing rules, says DAB
Further relax listing rules, says DAB From left, DAB lawmakers Rock Chan, Starry Lee and Ronick Chan announce proposals to further boost Hong Kong's role as an IPO centre. Photo: RTHK The DAB on Monday called on the government to further relax company-listing rules, so Hong Kong can remain a top fund-raising centre. Legislator Rock Chan said one important proposal is to further ease the market capitalisation requirement for non-local enterprises with weighted voting rights structures, to HK$20 billion from HK$40 billion at the moment. It's among 10 suggestions by the DAB aimed at attracting more firms to list here. The DAB hopes to soon meet with government officials about the ideas.
HKFP
04-07-2025
- Politics
- HKFP
Hong Kong lawmakers oppose gov't proposal to recognise limited rights to same-sex partnerships
Many Hong Kong lawmakers have expressed opposition to a government proposal to recognise a limited set of rights for same-sex married couples registered abroad, as it seeks to comply with a top court ruling. The Legislative Council (LegCo)'s panel on constitutional affairs convened a special meeting on Thursday, after the government outlined its proposal to establish a registration system for same-sex couples who had lawfully married or formed a civil union abroad. The proposal is limited to granting registered couples rights in matters relating to healthcare and death, such as hospital visits, making medical decisions, and collecting the body of a deceased partner. At least one person in the couple must be a Hong Kong resident. During the meeting on Thursday, many lawmakers in the opposition-free legislature slammed the proposal, calling it 'an attack on the institution of marriage' and accusing the government of lacking consultation. Holden Chow – who belongs to the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB), the city's largest political party, which has opposed LGBTQ rights – said the government proposal would, in effect, recognise same-sex marriage. 'The objective outcome is that it will encourage same-sex couples to get married overseas,' he said in Cantonese, adding the proposal would impact 'fundamental familial values.' Stanley Ng, president of the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions, said his party 'strongly opposed' the proposal. 'It completely turns our values and foundations upside down,' he said in Cantonese. Other lawmakers, including Starry Lee of the DAB and Carmen Kan, said the government proposal was 'rushed' and asked officials to seek a delay from the court to allow public consultation. According to a Court of Final Appeal ruling in September 2023, the government is obliged to establish a framework recognising same-sex couples' legal rights within two years. That court ruling was a response to a legal challenge by LGBTQ activist Jimmy Sham, who recently completed his four-year-and-two-month prison sentence following a conviction of subversion in Hong Kong's largest national security case. Sham was seen in the public gallery of LegCo observing the panel meeting on Thursday. 'Top court not always right' Junius Ho, a lawmaker who has fervently opposed same-sex marriage, described the government proposal as 'hurting tens of thousands of future generations.' Ho also suggested the government ask Beijing to overturn the CFA's ruling, saying: 'The top court is not always right.' In a minority view, legislator Paul Tse said that, even though he does not support same-sex marriage, the legislature and the government should respect the court's ruling. He called the government proposal a 'conservative half-step' under the direction of the court and urged other lawmakers to 'follow your conscience' when casting their votes. Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang defended the proposal. The government has to respect the court's ruling, and the proposal does not constitute a recognition of same-sex marriage, he told the legislature. 'I want to stress again, from the beginning till the end, including the court and the government, we did not intend to recognise same-sex marriage,' Tsang said. LGBTQ groups have said the government proposal would be insufficient for same-sex couples living in Hong Kong. NGO Hong Kong Marriage Equality said in a statement on Wednesday that the government's proposal 'falls well short of providing the full and equal recognition that all couples and families deserve.' In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Sham also said the government's suggestion to only recognise same-sex couples married overseas would disadvantage underprivileged couples, who may not have the financial resources to get married abroad. Whilst same-sex sexual activity was legalised in 1991, Hong Kong has no laws to protect the LGBTQ community from discrimination in employment, the provision of goods and services, or from hate speech. Equal marriage remains illegal, although a 2023 survey showed that 60 per cent of Hongkongers support it. Despite repeated government appeals, courts have granted those who married – or who entered civil partnerships – abroad some recognition in terms of tax, spousal visas and public housing.
