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OpinionLetters

Letters | Hong Kong government does listen, if you use the right channels

  • The public should take advantage of mechanisms such as the Legco Redress System and the Code on Access to Information to discuss policy matters with the government

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Letters
We refer to the letter from Ho Tsz Ying and He Tsz Yuk urging the Legislative Council to communicate with young people, and the letter from Chris Stubbs questioning the government’s willingness to listen to public opinion. Our recent experience of advocating for new university students from the mainland suggests that Hong Kong citizens can still engage Legco and the government in rational and constructive conversations on policy matters.
Despite the introduction of the “Return2hk” scheme, which exempts from quarantine Hong Kong residents returning from Guangdong or Macau, new university students from the mainland still have to isolate for 14 days upon arrival. Led by Dr Simon Wang, a Baptist University lecturer originally from the mainland, we formed a concern group calling for the government to waive the quarantine requirements for new students. We first published a letter to the editor on this matter and shared it with the Legco’s Panel on Education and Panel on Public Health. Through the Legco Redress System, we then held a phone meeting with Mr Chan Kin-por, a duty roster member who serves on both panels, on December 9.
During the meeting, Mr Chan patiently listened to our stories of living in isolation and promised to follow up with the Education Bureau and the Food and Health Bureau. Invoking the Code on Access to Information, we also asked the relevant government bureaus to inform us of the latest developments on the matter.

03:02

Coronavirus: Hong Kong extends hotel quarantine for overseas arrivals to 21 days

Coronavirus: Hong Kong extends hotel quarantine for overseas arrivals to 21 days

Upon Mr Chan’s request, Dr Christine Choi Yuk-lin, the undersecretary for education, also phoned Dr Wang on December 18 to learn more about how universities in Hong Kong provided support to new students who had to quarantine.

According to Mr Chan, this issue has been discussed at the most senior level of the Hong Kong government and a long-term solution is being worked on for people currently in the mainland but who would become Hong Kong residents after they arrive. Hopefully, the solution can soon be introduced.

Although our case has not been resolved, we would like to thank Mr Chan and Dr Choi for listening to our opinions. We also urge members of the public, especially young people, to take advantage of existing mechanisms including the Legco Redress System and the Code on Access to Information to help the government better serve Hong Kong society.

Yuanhang Luo, student, bachelor of mathematics and statistics, Baptist University; Qinyi Xue, student, bachelor of laws, the University of Hong Kong

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