Despite the best efforts at reassurance by officials, yesterday's publication of the consultation paper on Article 23 will inevitably create more than a stir - both here and abroad. The mere fact that Article 23 has been given top priority by the new ruling team in its five-year policy plan is intriguing to human rights activists, if not the person in the street. Certainly, the recent sense of urgency to satisfy the Basic Law provision has been in sharp contrast with the seemingly relaxed attitude of the Hong Kong and central governments towards Article 23 since the handover. Yesterday, Secretary for Security Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee warned of a 'big loophole' in the legal system unless Article 23 was turned into law. She echoed an assertion made by the pro-Beijing newspaper Wen Wei Po in its editorial yesterday that 'the Basic Law will not be fully implemented so long as the legislation on Article 23 remains unresolved'. More importantly, the daily cited one of the three wishes expressed by President Jiang Zemin in his speech on the July 1 fifth anniversary of the handover. 'Our Hong Kong compatriots are not only masters of the Hong Kong SAR, but also of the country,' said Mr Jiang. 'They should, therefore, keep enhancing their sense of the country and of the nation, make conscious efforts to safeguard the security and unification of the motherland and endeavour to defend its overall interests.' Not to be outdone, Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa also emphasised that 'it is the community's collective duty to protect national security'. Indeed, Beijing and SAR leaders are now adamant that the obligation Hong Kong has to uphold national interests provided under Article 23 should be given top priority. To be fair, it is not hard to see why. The government's attempt to deal with the most politically sensitive issue in mainland-SAR relations comes at a time when cross-border ties are undergoing seismic changes. A harmonious relationship between the SAR and the mainland has become more important in view of the increasing importance of the mainland to the long-term economic development of Hong Kong. Even though the practical threats of subversion may be minimal, a more prolonged delay on Article 23 legislation could have damaged cross-border relations. That said, both Beijing and SAR officials are aware that Hong Kong people remain hyper-sensitive to legislative changes that could pose a threat to their present lifestyles. Painstaking efforts have been made by officials to reassure the public that the new legislation will be liberal, and international standards on human rights protection will be upheld. But in light of the sensitivity and complexities of national security-related issues such as Taiwan and Falun Gong in the mainland-SAR nexus, any new law seeking to lay down the do's and don'ts is set to raise fresh fears about the erosion of civil rights and liberties in society. Graphic: ANA25XGET
