Party lines form on polls

The government's proposed replacement mechanism (替補機制) to fill Legislative Council vacancies has left lawmakers divided (分歧) ahead of the July 13 vote, with several calling for (note 1) the bill to be deferred (延遲推出).

Pan-democrats (泛民主派) want the proposal to be scrapped (取消) totally while the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (民建聯) insists that it go ahead (note 2). Democratic Party vice chairwoman Emily Lau Wai-hing urged that the bill be withdrawn (收回) as "it is senseless just to delay the voting."

The Civic Party's Audrey Eu Yuet- mee agreed, adding: "A public consultation (公開諮詢) should be conducted first." Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, former security secretary who was in charge of the controversial (具爭議性的) Article 23 legislation, said her New People's Party will meet on Wednesday to decide on how to vote. "The problem is the government is pushing forward (note 3) the bill without improving it," Ip said. "It is worse than 2003 since it lacks consultation."

She said Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Stephen Lam Sui- lung is fighting a lone war (note 4), as she did eight years ago, without support from top officials or the Executive Council.

Ip believes it is possible to postpone the vote and conduct a proper consultation during the summer. Tourism legislator Paul Tse Wai- chun called for a three-month consultation with legal professionals on the panel, failing which (note 5) he will vote against. But DAB chairman Tam Yiu-chung said any delay would affect the district council polls, nominations for which
are due in September. The Liberal Party, whose former chair James Tien Pei-chun forced the shelving of Article 23 legislation by quitting Exco in 2003, says it has an amendment that may save the proposal.

From good to better English:
(note 1) call for=呼籲、要求。Call a meeting=召集會議。Call a spade a spade=是什麼說什麼，直言。Call heaven to witness=指天發誓。Olivia calls Mo Mo names=Olivia咒駡Mo Mo。

(note 2) go ahead=繼續進行。Victor’s business may go any day=Victor的生意隨時可能倒閉。Go hungry=挨餓。Ivy forgets how the song “Catch the wind” goes = Ivy忘記 “Catch the wind”這首歌是怎樣唱的。

(note 3) push forward=推行、催促。Fung Keung never pushes drugs to his students=馮強從不向學生販賣毒品。Get the push =被解雇。

(note 4) fight a lone war =孤軍作戰。A war criminal=戰犯。A prisoner of war=戰俘。The war of the pen=筆戰。A war of words =舌戰。 A war of annihilation=殲滅戰。A war of attrition=消耗戰。 A war of propaganda=宣傳戰。

(note 5) failing which=如果這件事沒有發生。Long Man never fails to write me every week=倫文永不忘記每周給我寫信。I fail to see=我弄不懂。

Victor’s View: Any government legislation that affects all citizens’ rights should have a proper consultation. That seems common sense. Why the hurry? It’s childish to show Hong Kong people who the boss is. It is time we appealed to reason and rationality.

(Victor Fung Keung, director of HK Baptist University’s M.A. in international journalism program, has published 3 books on English-enhancement and plans to write 7 more by the end of 2012. Write to him: deanfungenglish@gmail.com