Hong Kong’s pro-democracy lawmakers have urged the government to look into whether or not mainland authorities spied on Hong Kong-based foreign journalists investigating Malaysia’s scandal-hit state fund.
The calls come after the Wall Street Journal — citing meeting minutes it obtained — reported on Tuesday that Malaysian officials wanted help bugging the homes and offices of WSJ reporters in Hong Kong after the newspaper revealed in 2015 that then-Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak received about US$681 million in stolen 1MDB cash.
Malaysian officials wanted to find out who WSJ‘s sources were, and the report said that Beijing offered to aid in that effort in exchange for lucrative stakes in projects being offered by Kuala Lumpur.
THREAD: When Malaysian PM Najib was in trouble in 2016, caught up in the 1MDB scandal, he turned to China. He needed help ending global probes into 1MDB, and stopping investigations by the WSJ, and Beijing stood ready to assist. #BillionDollarWhale /1 https://t.co/CTBXvymhuI
— Tom Wright (@TomWrightAsia) January 7, 2019
Speaking to reporters outside the Legislative Council chamber this afternoon, Democratic Party lawmaker James To said that if the WSJ report is true, it will seriously affect the city’s international image and status.
To, who is also deputy chair of LegCo’s security panel, said mainland authorities should clarify whether or not the offer to bug reporters was an officially sanctioned act, and that an investigation should be opened if the operation is found to have been carried out by individuals for personal gain, RTHK reports.
“If it is an act of state, I urge the central government to review its decision and to take into account the interests of ‘One Country, Two Systems,’” he told reporters.
To’s comments follow fellow lawmaker Lam Cheuk-ting yesterday telling reporters at LegCo that if the claims are true, it could be considered a criminal act under Hong Kong’s computer laws.
“Eavesdropping on media is a big deal and is a matter of freedom of the press,” he said, adding that Hong Kong was increasingly heading towards “one country, one system,” Apple Daily reports.
We asked the Hong Kong gov if they would get to the bottom of the astonishing detail in the WSJ report that the Chinese gov appeared to have bugged the homes and offices of its reporters in HK investigating 1MDB. All they have to say: pic.twitter.com/jljLNo7gSp
— Elaine Yu (@yuenok) January 8, 2019
HKFP, also cited comments from Claudia Mo — chair of the pro-democracy camp in LegCo — urging the the Hong Kong government to explain whether or not the city’s own police force was involved.
So far, the Hong Kong authorities have stayed mum on the issue, with Security Secretary John Lee saying that only local officers have the power to enforce the law in Hong Kong.
