Secretary for Justice Wong Yan-lung reiterated the government's support for a drug rehabilitation school's expansion plan in Mui Wo yesterday and appealed to the public to act as partners in helping young drug abusers.
Mr Wong, who leads the government's Taskforce on Youth Drug Abuse, brought up the issue when speaking at an anti-drug pledge ceremony. He said the issue had 'touched tens of thousands of people's hearts'.
'If you have a chance to act as young people's partners and save them from the sea of drugs and help them turn over a new leaf, the satisfaction and joy you gain is incomparable,' Mr Wong said.
Speaking after the ceremony, Mr Wong urged everyone to take on 'an attitude of acceptance and be partners in helping our young people who have been involved in drugs to have a new life'.
Responding to community opposition to plans to use Mui Wo's vacant Heung Yee Kuk Southern District Secondary School, which closed in September 2007, Mr Wong said: 'We should give them time to have more discussion... The government supports the college's relocation to the vacant school in Mui Wo in principle.'
Christian Zheng Sheng College has sought to use the vacant secondary school since December 2006.
'But if no site is better than the one in Mui Wo after careful consideration, I hope all can look at the incident in a positive way,' Mr Wong said. 'Consider yourself as a partner to combat drug problems; that will make Hong Kong a more caring city.'
