Aside from the complete foolishness of comments and assertions referring to doing things the 'Chinese way' or becoming 'too westernised' in Lau Nai-keung's article headlined 'One country before two systems' (December 10), his statements are openly racist and only seek to divide the people of Hong Kong. The entire essay boils down to an outright threat to anybody who disagrees with his way of thinking with respect to the pace of democratisation in Hong Kong. Message to Mr Lau: if you continue to misread the overwhelming sentiment from Hongkongers to have a greater say in government, you could find yourself with one million people on the streets the next time around. It is unfortunate Mr Lau feels the need to threaten and intimidate political opponents whose ideas differ and/or are more in sync with the public than his. Those who think as Mr Lau does have lost the argument but don't seem to know it. They have also squandered the trust of Hong Kong people. Did he not learn anything from July 1? No less than the newly appointed leader of the Democratic Alliance for Betterment of Hong Kong, Ma Lik, described those individuals in the government whom identify with Mr Lau's type of sentiment as 'divorced from reality'. It's no wonder the central government's perception of local matters is unclear. One of the cornerstones of the Basic Law is that Hong Kong people should govern Hong Kong. It is time the wishes of Hong Kong people are given due respect. According to the Basic Law, 'one country' comes before 'two systems' in matters relating to national security and foreign affairs. The call from Hong Kong people to have a greater say in their government in line with the Basic Law does not conflict with either of these two caveats and it should be encouraged from all levels of the local and central governments. This desire is no more 'western' or 'Chinese' than breathing is. To paraphrase Mr Lau's final comment: if people see things as they would like to, rather than how they really are, and continue to display such obvious disrespect for the reasonable demands of Hong Kong citizens, we shall all live to regret it. GARRY HUNT, Stanley
