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SCMP Reporter

OPENING DOOR TO RULE OF MAN

S.S. Chiu suggests that the draconian power to detain without trial was exercised in the 1950s and 60s in Hong Kong ('Article 23: Why Hong Kong should trust the central government', May 30).

The writer questioned why there were no complaints against the National Security Act in our colonial past.

Assuming S.S. Chiu is right, I think there are, broadly speaking, two reasons: first, we were a ruled people then; we are our own masters now.

Under the 'one country, two systems' concept, Hong Kong is ruled by Hong Kong people. Why should we not express our views if we think our legislative process in relation to Article 23 is going down the wrong track?

Secondly and perhaps more importantly, while we are dwelling on historical facts, let us not forget that the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) was not adopted by the UN General Assembly until December 1966 and did not come into force until 1976. Hong Kong formally embraced the ICCPR in 1991 when the Hong Kong Bill of Rights Ordinance (BOR) was enacted.

That, I hope, explains why the draconian National Security Act or similar provisions were never brought into play in Hong Kong in recent times. Had it been, I have no doubt it would be struck down by our courts under our BOR.

S.S. Chiu questioned the sincerity of those objecting to the proposed Article 23 legislation.  The writer said: 'Action speaks louder than fanciful and gloomy conjecture ... the devil is in the 'intent' and not in the details''. S.S. Chiu is confident that the central government harbours no ill-will towards Hong Kong people. He is probably right. But that is not the point.

If a piece of legislation is so loosely worded and has to rely on the goodwill of the government not to abuse it, it is not a good piece of legislation. More fundamentally, it gives rise to rule of man - the very opposite of rule of law. If a piece of legislation depends on the 'intent' of the legislator, then it is open to manipulation and abuse in the hands of a wrong ruler.

The crucial distinction between the devil being in the 'intent' and in the details marks the thin red line between rule of man and rule of law. The choice is ours.

RONNY TONG, S. C.

Central

LET'S TAP THE NEW PUBLIC SPIRIT

There has been a great coming together in Hong Kong on a scale approaching that seen in New York after the September 11 attacks - but one has to know where to look and listen.  The city's newspapers and broadcasters  have been outlets for expressions of community solidarity.

Clearly, we did not have a bombed-out site that people could be drawn to, nor did we have high-impact images of people dying. Instead, the people of Hong Kong kept away from the scenes of greatest distress - the hospitals - under good advice and were masked up. We avoided public places when nothing was certain about the spread of Sars.

With no physical place on which to focus their attention,  the people turned to the media to express their views, fund campaigns, and participate in shaping the government's response in ways never before seen in Hong Kong.

On top of that, the realisation that life is more than just about earning a living  was evident in Hong Kong with the Sunday crowds thronging the country parks, in the same way as it was evident on the streets of New York after September 11.

People's attitude in public has changed.  There is a more obvious greater display of friendly greetings and a more concerned and deliberate awareness of fellow citizens. Residents in both Hong Kong and New York displayed the same realisation of being in the same position together.

The government is painfully aware of this sea change in people's attitudes. Officials have been called to action by it. The newfound spirit channelled via the media also continuously helped shape the people's and administration's responses to the crisis.

Because we have no dramatic visuals and venues to rally around now that the crisis is fading, the government is looking for 'fixers' - events that will help to visualise and rally that new spirit to drive the economic recovery.

The government needs suggestions on how this effort can be taken forward. We should not hesitate to submit our ideas directly to the government.

PAUL ZIMMERMAN

Causeway Bay

SOME ADVICE FOR TUNG

I have been a self-appointed observer of the Tung Chee-hwa administration since  1997 and I  believe that Mr Tung does have the good of Hong Kong in mind.

However, performance counts more than personality. Mr Tung has shown a lack of prudence as a public administrator. In handling relations with the mainland, he has also displayed a lack of insight and, perhaps, moral courage.

Thanks to the expansion of education opportunities in the past 20 years, people in Hong Kong are as clear-headed and fair-minded as any in the world. Given this, Mr Tung's approval ratings are showing signs of improvement as the efforts to control the Sars outbreak produce results.

Mr Tung is eager to make good use of the time remaining in his second and last term to re-build his reputation and to hand over an effective administration and a prosperous economy to his successor.

I would like to offer him advice in these efforts. For the successful implementation of 'one country, two systems', Mr Tung should draw on a sense of history to ensure that the Hong Kong and central governments work together in the true spirit of the Basic Law.

In efforts to build a knowledge-based society,  the chief executive would do well to take a hard look at education and spend accordingly. Expenditure should be particularly directed at primary and secondary schools. Attention should also be given to helping disadvantaged students.

To help in these and other goals, the civil service should be restored to its past status, in which it was seen as an asset. For the long-term prosperity of the city, the chief executive should listen to what  economists have to say. Amid the downturn, he should stick with deficit budgets, while using other means to generate funds.

LAW PING

Sha Tin

BAD BEHAVIOUR LETS US DOWN

I could not agree more with Robert Nield's comments ('Bad Habits', May 28). I have been living here practically all my life and I am generally proud to call myself a Hongkonger.

In certain aspects of economic development and advancement, I think Hong Kong can be proud that it has achieved so much in just a few decades to improve the living standards and quality of life of its residents.

That said, I think Hong Kong should be ashamed that so many people still display bad manners and poor behaviour.

Residents should be more civil and polite to each other and have a stronger sense of civic duty. They should by now know that littering  is wrong and that they should show more consideration to each other. Loud conversations on mobile phones in cinemas come to mind, as does queue-jumping. And  public toilets should be left clean for the next person to use.

I don't think it is asking a lot for residents to abide by these standards.

We may have come very far in terms of being a developed city - even one of the wealthiest in the world - but we have achieved very little in terms of social development. There is no point in increasing our standards of education - to be globally competitive - but ignore the teaching of basic courtesy and manners in society.

I think schools should start a campaign to teach youngsters about manners, about how to behave in society and the virtues of being considerate  to other people.

I also believe that such education should also be emphasised to parents and adults through government campaigns.

NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED

DRUG SERVICES DESERVE PRAISE

The extraordinary feature in the article 'Abusers turn to methadone after supplies are cut off' (South China Morning Post, May 19) is that the Hong Kong addiction treatment services could readily accommodate a major increase (15 per cent in one year) in applicants.

Hong Kong made a commitment more than 25 years ago to provide care promptly to every addict willing to accept it. In continuing to meet this commitment, it serves as a model  for the rest of the world.

Dr ROBERT NEWMAN

Director, Baron Edmond de Rothschild Chemical Dependency Institute, BethIsrael Medical Centre, New York



Letters