The government should not delay legislation on assessing asylum seekers, a human rights lawyer said yesterday, noting that a recent spike in arrests of non-Chinese illegal immigrants was Hong Kong's own fault.

'The government should come up with comprehensive legislation as soon as possible,' Mark Daly said. 'They can then control and manage the system and wipe out abusers from the genuine asylum seekers.'

Mr Daly said the government had allowed the problem to grow by avoiding tackling questions about screening, detention and social welfare. The delay had fuelled the perception in some quarters in India, Pakistan and Nepal that Hong Kong was a place where you could work while a claim was being considered, said Fermi Wong Wai-fun, of the ethnic minorities rights group Hong Kong Unison.