The campaign for right of abode for foreign domestic helpers has sparked a storm of opposition online, including a Facebook page that urges opponents to protest outside court next month when a legal challenge on behalf of the maids goes ahead. 'Foreign helpers only come to Hong Kong to work. What makes them qualified to have the right to stay in Hong Kong?' a user called Movie Tam wrote on Facebook. The page, 'Against foreign helpers obtaining right of abode. Protect the welfare of Hong Kong people from being seized', had attracted 1,206 members by yesterday. Fish Ip, campaign organiser for the Hong Kong Federation of Asian Domestic Workers Unions, said such views were unfair and it was sad the helpers' contributions weren't being recognised. Another user, Jacky Wong, said he feared the middle class would have to pay more tax and the welfare of Hong Kong's poor would be affected if the maids won their case. 'Come out if you are a Hongkonger and demand that Beijing interpret the Basic Law [on the right of abode]. 'It will be too late to ask for the interpretation after the ruling,' he said, referring to a judicial review application that will begin in the Court of First Instance on August 22. Some commentators suggest it could result in an interpretation of the Basic Law by the National People's Congress Standing Committee. The Facebook group is urging people to join a protest outside the court and to join a signature campaign in Mong Kok a week tomorrow. One user, Pixer, said on the popular online forum discuss.com.hk that the employment of Hong Kong people, especially the low-paid, would be affected. 'The maids have 'three lows',' he said. 'Low education, low income and low experience, but they know English,' he said. 'Employers will therefore tend to recruit them more as they will accept lower wages.' Ip said many helpers had contributed a lot to the city, helping to take care of elderly and children. 'It is quite unfair that other people living in the city for seven years can have the right of abode but the helpers never can. 'People should look also into the core problem like the constitutional issue instead of making verbal attacks on these helpers,'
