Attorney-General Defends Government’s Move to Suspend Standing Orders

Attorney-General Graham Leung has defended the Government’s decision to suspend Standing Orders 6(5) and 92, stating that the move was necessary to facilitate the tabling of the Prime Minister’s Bill to amend the 2013 Constitution.

Leung refuted claims by the Opposition that procedural rules were violated, arguing that the law dictates that Standing Orders must yield to the Constitution in cases of inconsistency.

He maintained that the Speaker of Parliament had already recognized this legal interpretation when approving the tabling of the Constitution Amendment Bill 2025 last week.

“There is a conflict between the provisions of Section 159(2)(c) of the Constitution and the overall objective of Chapter 11,” Leung said in a statement.

He assured that any constitutional amendments would follow due legal processes.

Leung reiterated the Government’s commitment to lawful constitutional reform, emphasizing that the proposed amendment seeks to lower the threshold for amending the Constitution to a more practical level.