21 May 2001

DEMOCRATIC Party chairman Martin Lee Chu-ming says the pace of democratic progress has slowed since Chief Secretary for Administration Donald Tsang Yam-kuen took over from Anson Chan Fang On-sang .

Mr Lee also dismissed the necessity of introducing an anti-XX law, saying Falun Gong leaders had yet to trigger a mass suicide pact.

On ATV World's Newsline program last night, Mr Lee said the ``One Country, Two Systems'' policy should have been implemented better, but ``unfortunately, we can see it is going down slope''. The democratic progress was also going downhill, especially after Mr Tsang's promotion. ``In a way it's a great pity that Donald Tsang was coming in to take over from Anson. It seems to be we're departing from some of her wish-list already.

[...]

Mr Lee said a law to deal with the Falun Gong was "totally unnecessary''. "We don't have people committing mass suicide. Why do we have a need for that ?'' he asked. [...]

Mr Lee warned that if the government tabled an anti-XX law in Legco, it should first convince the community that there was such a necessity.

"You can't enact a law and restrict citizens' exercise of their freedom," he said.