GF 323
}
CONFIDENTIAL
PUBLIC REACTION
機密
21.
Although the man in the street, apart from his
underlying general concern about China's post 1997 attitude
towards security measures, has not focused on the future of
the Official Secrets Acts, there has been some academic
comment. The extension of the 1989 Act to Hong Kong will
attract significant media attention because of the working
interest it holds for the media. They are likely, also, to
draw a parallel with the local controversy over section 27
of the Public Order Amendment Bill, and therefore to draw
it as another attempt to inhibit press freedom by making it
easier to prosecute informants. The liberal/democrat end
of the political spectrum in general, as well as civil
service unions in particular, are expected to raise the
same objections that were used in the UK - principally an
absence in the 1989 Act for a defence of disclosure in the
public interest. The legal sector may also query why Hong
Kong needs to follow the UK amendment in this particular
area at this particular time.
22.
On the positive side, some will perceive the
repeal of section 2 of the 1911 Act as making it more
difficult for the SAR Government under Chinese 'influence
to revert to the more stringent previous measures, and as
CONFIDENTIAL
機密