Public Eye | Lawmakers should flush away this racist motion

We don't want you as tourists but we want you as toilet cleaners - that's the message the Legislative Council will send to the Philippines today. Our legislators will vote on this nauseatingly racist motion to punish Filipinos for the Manila killing of eight Hongkongers by a deranged ex-policeman. Legislator Albert Chan Wai-yip's motion demands trade sanctions. But Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee prefers scrapping visa-free entry to Filipino tourists. Why? We can do without the 700,000 Filipino tourists who come here annually. But if we ban Filipino maids, who will clean our toilets? Reports say major parties will support the motion. Many voting for it are the same legislators who march for human rights and fair play. And here they are, voting to punish innocent Filipinos for the act of a madman. Excuse Public Eye while we go puke.

We're not sure if scrapping visa-free entry will be part of the sanctions Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying yesterday threatened to impose unless the Philippines kowtows within a month. But if it is, what about other Filipinos in Hong Kong? Forget domestic helpers; we need them to clean our toilets. But that still leaves Filipino businessmen, nurses and catering staff. It would be unfair to punish just tourists. If we want to send a strong message to President Benigno Aquino for refusing to apologise, we need to be innovative. How about herding them into internment camps? The Americans did it to the Japanese after Pearl Harbour. If the white race can do it to the yellow race, why can't the yellow race do it to the brown race?