'Privacy law will breed corruption' warns journalists' union
Journalists' union launches ad campaign against new rules to hide details of company directors
The Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) today steps up its campaign to stop a change in the law that will restrict information on company directors available to the public.
It has taken out a full-page advertisement in the South China Morning Post and similar ads in other newspapers warning "secrecy breeds corruption" and listing the names of the 1,700 media workers and students who have signed a petition against the new restrictions - a record-breaking number for the union.
The move came after the government said yesterday it was consulting the Privacy Commission over its proposed change to the Companies Ordinance.
The HKJA says in its ad: "Freedom of the press and free flow of information is a cornerstone of Hong Kong's success." With the new law in place, "the ability of the media to disclose any illegal or unethical activity will be restricted, resulting in an infringement of the public interest".
It adds: "Allowing the public, including journalists, to examine the personal data of a director has long been a sound common practice, which has not been abused."
The HKJA also cites examples of how information found in the Companies Registry played a vital role in investigative journalism last year, to the detriment of some members of the administration and Executive Council.