Ex-justice secretary Wong Yan-lung denies 'storm cloud' over judiciary
Wong Yan-lung rejects retired judge's warning over threat to judiciary's independence
The previous secretary for justice says he sees no "storm clouds" gathering over the rule of law, countering a judge's recent warning of a threat to the city's judicial independence.
One of the city's best-known judges, Mr Justice Kemal Bokhary, said in October that "storm clouds of unprecedented ferocity" were gathering over the courts.
But yesterday Wong Yan-lung said: "I see no 'storm clouds' in the judicial system, as the Court of Final Appeal is the highest appellate court in Hong Kong. It can resolve many big issues, maintaining the stability of Hong Kong. It is not being undermined." He was speaking after being conferred with an honorary doctorate in law by Shue Yan University.
In a written reply to questions from the Bokhary - a non-permanent judge of the Court of Final Appeal known for his liberal stance - said he considered the outcome of the landmark 1999 right-of-abode case to have been "most unfortunate for the rule of law".
That year, the Court of Final Appeal ruled that people born on the mainland to a permanent Hong Kong resident qualified for the right of abode. But the National People's Congress Standing Committee overturned key parts of that ruling in a reinterpretation of the Basic Law sought by the local government.
Yesterday, Wong also said he believed Hong Kong would remain unchanged for 50 years.
