The Chief Executive, Tung Chee Hwa, says the government will press ahead and put the controversial national security bill to a vote in Legco next Wednesday. But he says the bill will be further amended to address the concerns of the community. The government will now delete the provision covering the proscription of groups affiliated with bodies banned on the mainland (but the proscription mechanism by the Secretary for Security, including hearings in the absence of the appellant or his legal representative, the withholding of evidence from the appellant or his legal representative, and disposal of assets of proscribed organization are still in the proposed bill). Public interest will be added to the legislation as a defence in connection with the unlawful disclosure of certain official information. And the provision giving the police powers to conduct searches without a court warrant during emergency investigations will be removed from the legislation.

 

For the transcript of CE's speech, please see enclosed.