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OpinionLetters

Letters to the Editor, January 31, 2018

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Agnes Chow chants slogans at a rally after she was banned from running in the March by-election to the Legislative Council, in Admiralty on January 28. Photo: Reuters
Letters

Government needs to heed young voices

Occupy Central in 2014 has been followed by a flood of political incidents. Last week, Agnes Chow Ting of Demosisto was disqualified from contesting the Legislative Council by-elections in March, on the grounds that her party called for self-determination for Hong Kong.

The move provoked a political storm, and outrage among pro-democracy activists and citizens, further damaging relations between the government and the public.

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Whatever Chow’s political views, as a student, I am proud of her for standing up and speaking up for us. In today’s society, having a stable job and income are the bare necessities of life. Many politicians, especially those in the opposition, have sacrificed a lot just to let our voices be heard, especially those of fresh graduates entering the job market and facing disillusionment about their prospects in terms of property ownership or climbing up the social ladder. Activists such as Chow are putting their futures on the line to let our voices be heard.

The government must know that the voices that oppose it ­actually help Hong Kong to ­improve, and help it to correct its mistakes. I sincerely hope the government will let young voices be heard and not use various methods to silence them.

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Natalie Cheng, Yuen Long

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