特首辦干涉UGL調查? 周浩鼎提交文件 修改者竟為特首辦
立法會調查特首梁振英UGL事件的專責委員會,今早(15日)召開閉門會議,據了解,會上披露,立法會秘書處發現民建聯議員周浩鼎向委員會提交的文件中,修改者名字竟顯示為「CEO_CE」(即特首辦),引起特首辦干涉立會調查疑雲。有委員要求周浩鼎辭去委員職務,建制派則力保周浩鼎。
秘書處發現 周浩鼎直認曾接觸特首辦
據悉,民建聯議員周浩鼎向委員會提交的研究範圍修訂建議電子版本中,修改者一欄名稱為「CEO_CE」,亦即是特首辦(Chief Executive Office)的英文簡稱,而文件修改日期為今年4月21日晚上10時至11時,即周浩鼎上月25日首次提交文件前4日。有關修改紀錄被立法會秘書處發現,再由秘書處通知委員會主席謝偉俊,謝偉俊遂決定今次會議閉門進行。
有關文件涉及建議委員會的調查範圍,包括梁振英與澳洲企業UGL有否簽訂、執行協議,以及協議內容和條件等。周浩鼎會上直認提交文件前,曾與特首辦接觸,特首辦向他提出修訂意見,但強調「從來無隱暪過」。
事件引起委員爭議,有委員質疑周浩鼎與調查對象接觸,並受干涉,要求周浩鼎避席,甚至辭去委員會職務。另亦有委員指出,以往類似的調查委員會,包括涉及前立法會議員甘乃威的調查,擬訂相關建議時,事前均會向涉事議員諮詢意見,但諮詢前均會先徵得委員會同意。
據會上披露的文件顯示,周浩鼎的建議多處經由特首辦修改:
- 加入「澳洲傳媒公開的UGL協議文本的完整性及真偽,以及該協議的性質、主要條款及條件為何」,刪去「梁先生與UGL有否簽訂及/或執行UGL協議」。
- 加入「梁先生與UGL有否簽訂及/或執行此份澳洲傳媒公開的協議」及「梁先生簽訂協議當日是否已當選行政長官」,刪去「主要條款及條件為何」
- 在「UGL協議中"按UGL的合理要求提供協助,以推廣UGL集團及戴德梁行集團,包括但不限於不時擔當推薦人及顧問的角色"此一條款("該條款")」後,加入「的背景、原意」
- 加入「只會在不造成利益衝突的情況下提供相關協助」的字句,使之變成:「在澳洲傳媒公開的協議文本中,上文第(d) 段(注:即UGL協議)所述條款曾作出修改,(即以手寫方式加入「只會在不造成利益衝突的情況下提供相關協助」),此修改的真偽,由誰人作出,該修改的原意和作用,以及條款經修改後的效力」
- 加入「研究UGL就該協議在2014年發出的公開聲明的真偽及可信性。」
不過,建制派委員在會上為周浩鼎護航,認為事件僅屬小事,因為有關研究範圍建議未成定局,故毋須辭退委員一職。有民主派委員則反駁指,若非立法會秘書處發現事件,委員會可能已按有關建議研究事件,令調查方向被調查對象干擾。會議結束前仍未就如何處理事件有定案,故下次會議仍需閉門進行,繼續討論事件。
立法會「調查梁振英先生與澳洲企業UGL Limited所訂協議的事宜專責委員會」,今年3月召開首次會議,討論訂立調查範圍、方向及操作方式,之前3次會議均為公開進行,但今日會議突然改為閉門,民主派早前質疑建制派是否有不可告人之事,「無理由閂埋門傾」。
CY 'stamping all over Legco' with UGL move
Pro-democracy lawmakers on Monday accused the Chief Executive, CY Leung, of trying to interfere with a future Legco probe into the HK$50 million he received from Australian firm, UGL, rejecting his claim that he has a right to have his say on the investigation.
The Legco Secretariat reportedly alerted legislators to the fact that a document suggesting the scope of the select committee investigation, submitted by DAB lawmaker Holden Chow, had been edited by the Chief Executive’s Office.
Pan-democratic legislators said Leung should have contacted the Legco Secretariat if he wanted to have an input, rather than making his views known in an “underhanded manner".
Democratic Party legislator Helena Wong said Leung was stamping on the legislature, while Chow had been behaving as if he was an “undercover agent”.
Civic Party lawmaker Dennis Kwok said Chow now had to resign from the select committee.
“The whole process, its integrity has been compromised as a result of Mr Holden Chow’s conduct. Now, not only should he resign, he should also disclose the full extent of his communication with the Chief Executive or the Chief Executive’s Office with regards to the work of the select committee”, Kwok said.
“A lot of taxpayer money and Legislative Council time has been spent on this select committee investigation. Because of his (Chow’s) conduct this whole investigation has been set back, its integrity compromised, and we may have to restart the whole process all over again because of what he did”, added Kwok.
Leung on Monday neither denied nor confirmed that his office had made changes to Chow's document, but did say the office has a right to make suggestions on the scope of the investigation.