HK Law Society Says It Will Remain Neutral On Politics

We would imagine it is political if  common law is to disappear from Hong Kong’s map ?

SCMP reports….

http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1802176/law-society-neutral-hong-kong-political-reform-president

Law Society ‘neutral’ on Hong Kong political reform, president says
President insists Law Society will not comment on election proposals due to ‘political
Despite the profession’s reputation for presenting sound arguments, the body representing the city’s solicitors has reiterated it will not comment on the government’s electoral reform package, citing “political neutrality”.

Law Society president Stephen Hung Wan-shun said yesterday that the reform proposal involved a political rather than legal issue. However, some pro-democracy solicitors have formed their own groups to oppose the package, while Hung was reported by pro-Beijing newspaper Ta Kung Pao to have put his signature to a city-wide campaign in support of the government’s proposal last week.

“The Law Society is a politically neutral organisation,” Hung told an annual press conference.

“For members who organise their own bodies, I encourage them. Everyone is free to express their own opinion in relation to the political reform.”

The society’s stance is in stark contrast to the Bar Association, the barristers’ body, which has repeatedly commented on the issue, including a statement last year that cast doubt on Beijing’s framework for reform.

The Legislative Council is expected to vote on the reforms by the end of next month. Hung said whether Legco should pass or vote down the proposal was purely a political decision.

He denied his silence on the issue was due to the possibility of angering Beijing. Hong Kong solicitors have many business opportunities on the mainland.

Kevin Yam Kin-fung, who co-founded the pro-democracy Progressive Lawyers Group, had asked Hung to clarify whether he signed the pro-government petition on behalf of the society.

But the solicitor said he respected Hung’s decision to have the body avoid speaking out on political reform.

On last year’s 79-day Occupy civil disobedience movement, Hung noted there had been “shock to a certain extent” to the rule of law, but he said the courts were proving the legal system to be sound by acquitting some protesters charged by police due to insufficient evidence.

The society also announced it had reached an agreement with Taiwan’s ministry of justice, allowing Hong Kong lawyers to practise there.

Hung said there were growing commercial opportunities in Taiwan, as more Hongkongers had started doing business there.