My Take | The two pressing issues for Carrie Lam’s first 100 days
Restoring public trust and winning back the hearts and minds of Hongkongers are most commonly cited as the issues the new chief executive must first tackle. But the more immediate task will more likely be demonstrating to the central government that it has placed its trust in the right person
As Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor takes her oath of office today, there is no lack of free advice for the new chief executive on what she needs to do in her first 100 days.
Among the most commonly heard is the need for her to restore public trust and win back the hearts and minds of Hong Kong people. But considering how divided our society has become, it is an extremely difficult if not impossible task under the current political system. At best, it would be a longer-term objective, achievable through sustained efforts.
My guess is that Lam’s more immediate task will be to demonstrate to the central government that it has placed its trust in the right person.
There are two pressing issues that will enable her to do that. One is the contentious arrangements for so-called co-location at the Hong Kong terminal of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail. The other is to revise the study of Chinese history in secondary school.
Since the rail link is to open in a year’s time, authorities on both sides of the border must reach an agreement soon on customs and immigration control. Most likely, Lam will end up allowing mainland officers to operate inside the Hong Kong terminal with more or less the same powers as they would across the border. They may, however, relinquish the powers of arresting and detaining people. Hopefully, such powers will stay with local officers.
