Following is the transcript of remarks by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, at a media session in Legislative Council Building today (November 2):
 
Reporter: The Government might as well just skip the LegCo debate and just start the process for the co-location plan.
 
Chief Secretary for Administration: I just want to make the point that it's deplorable that individual LegCo member has chosen to resort to Rules of Procedure 88(1) - absolutely inconceivable to exclude the media and members of the public from covering and attending LegCo proceedings. This is totally unbelievable and unacceptable, and we should condemn this very act of invoking this particular section.
 
Reporter: It's just a way of filibustering?
 
Chief Secretary for Administration: It's obviously (yes). The idea is a delaying tactic. It's not in the public interest. It goes against public interest to exclude the media. Hong Kong is an open society accountable to the community and transparency is very, very important. I can't see any, any single reason why 88(1) (of the Rules of Procedure) has to be resorted to.
 
Reporter: Well, why won't the Government just move on and just start the "Three-step Process"?
 
Chief Secretary for Administration: Well, we have to respect the decision of the LegCo Chairman. So, you know, we have to follow the proceedings. But I really hope that the whole debate can be completed within today. 
 
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

Ends/Thursday, November 2, 2017
Issued at HKT 17:31

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