South China Morning Post
Advertisement
Advertisement
SCMP Series
Coronavirus and governance
1 of 12
1
Quarantine furore says much about what’s wrong with HK
Sensing the loss of momentum after almost eight months of uninterrupted civil unrest, radicals are now exploiting every opportunity to try to wreak havoc. Photo: Edmond So
2
How China’s Communist Party worsened coronavirus crisis
A paramilitary police officer wearing a protective face mask stand on guard at Tiananmen in Beijing on January 28. China’s initial mishandling of the coronavirus outbreak means that thousands have been infected, and over a hundred have died. Photo: AFP
3
How the coronavirus is exposing the ills of the China model
Illustration: Craig Stephens
4
Coronavirus is testing the limits of China’s, and Hong Kong’s, preparedness
Illustration: Craig Stephens
5
Why China’s economy is more resilient now than during Sars
A woman wearing a face mask leaves a supermarket with a loaded shopping trolley in Changsha in China’s Hunan province on January 29. China’s market regulator has vowed to punish businesses engaging in price-gouging. Photo: Reuters
6
A shortage of masks, toilet paper and leadership hits Hong Kong
Hongkongers put themselves at risk of contracting the new coronavirus by flocking to buy masks, rice and toilet paper. Photo: Nora Tam
7
Why we might have to accept that the coronavirus could be here to stay
A security guard wearing a protective mask checks the temperature of a person entering an office building in Singapore. Photo: Bloomberg
8
Six ways the coronavirus crisis will change China’s relations with the outside world
A woman wearing a mask walks past a temporarily closed Apple store in Beijing on February 4. The American tech giant has closed all stores in China due to the coronavirus outbreak. Photo: AP
9
How China is finding the silver lining in the coronavirus crisis
Illustration: Craig Stephens
10
Coronavirus is a wake-up call for China’s autocratic style of rule
A portrait of Chinese President Xi Jinping on a street in Shanghai. Photo: Reuters
> More on this Series
Alex Lo
SCMP Columnist
My Take
by Alex Lo
My Take
by Alex Lo

Quarantine furore says much about what’s wrong with HK

  • Subpar epidemic planning in Fanling is exploited by radicals who are ready to use every opportunity to revive a protest movement that is losing momentum
Alex Lo
Alex Lo
Why you can trust SCMP

As far as violent protests go, the flare-up in the border town of Fanling on Sunday was a minor incident. But it should serve as a good example of what’s wrong with Hong Kong today: government stupidity vs nihilistic rioters and arsonists.

I have every sympathy for those neighbours who object to a proposed plan to set up the newly completed and still unoccupied Fai Ming Estate as a potential quarantine site for the emerging coronavirus outbreak. I wouldn’t want such patients and medical personnel to set up camp in my neighbourhood.

There are several residential estates such as Yung Shing Court as well as primary and secondary schools in the vicinity. The government has clarified that there is no plan at present to use the facility and that the Department of Health is only renovating it just in case it is needed in the event of an outbreak.

Hong Kong protesters, police clash over proposed use of housing block for quarantine

But if I were a local resident, I would naturally ask: can’t you do your planning somewhere else? There are plenty of unused government sites much further away from residential areas, and even outlying islands. Why here?

Locals have every right to be concerned. But then black-clad individuals showed up, digging up bricks, putting up roadblocks and setting estate offices on fire. Sensing the loss of momentum after almost eight months of uninterrupted civil unrest, radicals are now exploiting every opportunity to try to wreak havoc. But fewer and fewer people respond to their appeals nowadays.

The city is on the verge of a potential outbreak. Now is the time to call it quits if they really love Hong Kong as they profess. Many radicals, though, clearly hate much more than they love, and would do anything to keep up the protest violence.

One tactic is to make an anniversary of every widely reported anti-government incident as an excuse to cause more mayhem.

It doesn’t matter whether it’s weeks, months or years, so long as there are people foolish enough to respond.

The fourth “anniversary” of the Mong Kok riot of 2016 was just too irresistible not to celebrate with more anti-government violence. Just pity the local residents who have had their neighbourhoods turned upside down in the past eight months and couldn’t even enjoy a few quiet days of festivities for the Lunar New Year.

Riots and an epidemic, welcome to the Year of the Rat.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Quarantine furore reflects HK problems
Post