Hong Kong’s Legislative Council President Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen ruled that all three sets of amendments proposed by the Liberal Party to the government’s smoking control bill comply with procedural rules, paving the way for debate when the second reading resumes on September 10. The amendments, led by Liberal Party chairman and retail sector lawmaker Peter Shiu Ka-fai, seek to scrap the planned flavored cigarette ban, delay measures such as plain packaging through an “affirmative vetting” process, and broaden exemptions for additives used in cigarette manufacturing. While the government argued the changes would dilute its policy intent, Leung said the proposals do not breach the Rules of Procedure.
Passage of the amendments will require majority support in both functional and geographical constituencies under LegCo’s dual voting system.