Home Affairs boss returns as champion of left
Prominent leftist Tsang Tak-sing, the secretary for home affairs, charged for illegal broadcasting? Are we about to see a repeat of his jailing by the colonial government during the 1967 riots for distributing anti-government leaflets. Yesterday, as Eastern Court began a hearing on unlicensed broadcasting by Citizens' Radio, the court clerk read out the defendants list. 'Tsang Tak-sing,' she uttered among the six names. This was followed by laughter from all corners of the courtroom, with the underground radio station's convenor 'The Bull' Tsang Kin-shing protesting: 'There is no Tsang Tak-sing!' The mix-up was promptly corrected. The home affairs minister, who has attracted negative news recently over his alleged involvement in the removal of a social worker from Tai O on grounds he had damaged harmony in the district, would certainly not be happy for being remembered that he, too, did his part for civil disobedience back in the day.
Too cautious by a third?
While people who support press freedom were glad more than 700 protesters turned up to Sunday's march seeking vindication for the three Hong Kong journalists beaten by police in Xinjiang , some participants were unhappy with the Hong Kong Journalists Association, which they say had been 'too judicious' when estimating the number of marchers. One organiser, who conducted a headcount, said: 'There must have been at least 1,000,' But association chairman Mak Yin-ting announced the 700 figure - only 50 higher than the figure noted by the police, who usually underestimate.
Pay dispute delay all in the name of harmony
As National Day approaches, officials have been working hard to enforce the unspoken principle that social harmony must be maintained at all costs. That was why unionists of Hong Kong's disciplined services fighting for a pay rise have been told the government would only present the pay-structure review proposal for the Executive Council's consideration well after that date, in late October. The unionists, who had earlier threatened industrial action, said they understood the dilemma and would remain patient for now - as long as they get their pay rise in the end.
