AMERICAN officials, businessmen and politicians have expressed their concern to a Hong Kong delegation over Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa's labelling of the Falun Gong as an ``evil cult''.
But they were ``extremely pleased'' that the SAR government had clearly stated it had no plan to legislate against the mainland-banned group.
Their views were relayed yesterday by members of the delegation to the United States organised by a pro-government think-tank, the Better Hong Kong Foundation.
Foundation chief executive George Yuen Kam-ho said the issue had been raised several times during the US visit.
``They knew what Mr Tung had said on the sect, but they would not say to us whether he should enact an anti-evil cult law because we are not a government body.
``What they said was that the sect in Hong Kong is acting within the law,'' Mr Yuen said. ``But if they [sect members] violated any laws, the SAR government has the right and the reason to handle the issue.''