Occupy Central damages govt operations, rule of law: HK official

HONG KONG - Hong Kong Financial Secretary John Tsang said Sunday that the on-going Occupy Central movement would damage government operations and the rule of law.

Writing on his blog, Tsang warned that Hong Kong's long-term political stability will be affected if the protests become the city's new political paradigm.

The acts by the protesters, including occupying roads and defying court rulings, will not only do harm to Hong Kong's economy but also cause damages to governance and the rule of law as well, he wrote.

Tsang echoed comments by University of Hong Kong law professor Albert Chen that the current conflict was dragging Hong Kong into decline.

"Rome wasn't built in one day, but just one mistake could destroy it," Tsang wrote.

He also criticized filibustering in LegCo by radical democrats earlier this year, which had led to the delay of 21 projects at a cost of one billion HK dollars (129 million U.S. dollars).