Secretary for Justice Paul Lam has defended the government’s decision to amend the law to empower the health secretary to invalidate Covid vaccine exemption certificates, saying it is legal, reasonable and best serves public interests.

“We are facing an unprecedented problem – an epidemic. The problematic certificates will create risks for public health. The risks will grow by the day," Lam said.

"Also, many of the certificates are going to expire by the end of November. The major principle is to be assertive in reaching a clear decision as quickly as possible.”

Authorities had sought to void some 20,000 certificates issued by seven doctors who are accused of not conducting medical consultations properly. The High Court ruled last Friday that the secretary for health did not have the power to void the documents, and days later the government decided to amend the Prevention and Control of Disease Regulation to empower the minister to invalidate problematic exemption certificates rather than appeal against the judgement.

Speaking in an interview with several media outlets including RTHK, Lam said the ruling shows Hong Kong is governed by the rule of law, but with the amendment, the issue that concerns the court – whether the health secretary has the power to invalidate the exemption certificate – no longer exists.

Meanwhile, the justice secretary pledged to “tell a good story of Hong Kong’s judiciary” and said he's happy to go anywhere in the world to explain the city's judicial system.

“We have to face the fact that some people have a bad impression of Hong Kong. That’s why the government must do more publicity and explanation, so that it not only can safeguard the rule of law but also allow people in and outside of Hong Kong to have a more correct and fairer assessment,” he said.

Lam brushed aside concerns about Hong Kong falling three spots in the World Justice Project Rule of Law Index to rank 22nd among the 140 countries and regions. He said the difference is not that significant.