Graft-busters urged to look at possible abuse of powers
A group of Macau democrats are asking prosecutors and graft-busters look into the cases of Hongkongers who have been denied entry and investigate whether immigration police have abused their powers.
The New Macau Association, led by legislators Au Kam-san and Antonio Ng Kuok-cheong, yesterday sent a letter to the Macau Public Prosecutions Office, calling for an investigation into recent cases of Hong Kong people being blacklisted and barred from entry.
The group also reported such cases to the Commission Against Corruption and asked the Macau anti-graft body to look into possible abuse of power.
The Macau immigration department is affiliated with the security police, who repeatedly cited clauses in the internal security law as reasons for barring Hong Kong residents. The clauses target international terrorism, cross-border crimes and threats to public security.
The New Macau Association said the city's internal security law had been abused in rejecting Hong Kong lawmakers, scholars and a South China Morning Post photographer. 'It's difficult to relate these people to 'violence and organised crimes', 'cross-border crimes' and 'international terrorism' as targeted by the law,' the statement said. The group said the blacklisting of Hongkongers severely challenged the rule of law.
Last month, Hong Kong's security chief Ambrose Lee Siu-kwong said he had been assured by his Macau counterpart that there was no blacklist.
