1977

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Dr. HUANG's remarks were made too irresponsibly!

I am not aware of the strike staged by the police of New York and Paris but I do know, and I am pretty sure everybody can vividly recall, that during the 24-hour blackout in New York this year, there were numerous cases of mass lootings in which department stores and shops were ransacked. There were also mobs causing disturbances and setting fire in the street. Though the police and the firemen, instead of going on strike, went all out to deal with the emergency, the situation could not be brought under control while fire-fighting work could not be carried out smoothly. As a result, New York suffered a loss of billions of US dollars.

What would happen if the police were on strike and there was massive arson and robbery? What would happen if this should take place in Hong Kong?

Had Dr. HUANG the faculty of Bruce LEE or its hundredfold, he would not be able to handle the situation.

Should Hong Kong suffer such a heavy blow, how serious would the consequence be? Then if the European Economic Community should follow with its baton, to what extent would confidence in today's Hong Kong be shaken?

Perhaps somebody would say that Hong Kong is different from New York. But please bear in mind that an increase of 5 cents in ferry charge had sparked off a riot here.

New York is a city on the verge of bankruptcy, but she can expect a helping hand from the US Federal Government. Who will lend a hand to Hong Kong? The United Kingdom? The role that Britain plays in the EEC's harsh treatment of Hong Kong this year is more than suspicious.

Hence, the emergency measure taken by the Governor in declaring an amnesty is a decisive act that should be fully supported.

It is true, as Dr. Denny HUANG has said, that corruption amongst Government servants is serious and widespread. Everyone is aware of this fact. But how are we to tackle this problem? How are we to wipe out corruption? Are we to punish them all and send them all to Stanley Prison? If we are to take drastic action against corruption, certain Government departments would be left with empty desks and no officers to deal with official business. It is like a ship sailing on the high sea with a nasty crew. The passengers might have suffered enough in their hands and might be so filled with anger that they are ready to tie the crew up and throw them into the sea to feed the sharks. But what about the ship? Is it to drift on the sea? No, definitely not. The thing to do is to warn the crew on the one hand and to tell them to mend their ways, to tell them that they must not repeat their mistake lest they would be thrown into the sea, and on the other, to train up new hands to replace them.

It can be said that as the corruption problem is too serious and too widespread, the amnesty is an inevitable move.

Of course, the hinge lies in the words "Not to be involved in corruption again". If this cannot be put into practice, the amnesty is but a farce.

This is a fact apparent to all of us, but it may probably not be easily accepted by Members of Parliament far away in London or journalists from foreign countries. It is easy for anyone of us to make high-sounding statements. However, the more reputable the speaker is or the more influential his words are, the more caution he must take in making his statements. We cannot cast the dice rashly and blindly with the security and interests of the 4.5 million people in Hong Kong as stake. The government's decision is described as "an unprecedented one in the past 30 years that has led to a lowered prestige of the government." But such a decision has not been made at random. In fact, no government wants to lose her power and prestige. It will certainly be "awe-inspiring" if, when the police go on strike, she resorts to despatching the British Armies to maintain law and order. Should this happen, it will not be surprising to see the Kai Tak Airport crowded with people waiting to flee and large amounts of money flowing out of Hong Kong. By that time, the Governor will certainly be under more severe attack for mishandling the case and allowing Hong Kong to slip into such a state of emergency detrimental to the security and interests of the 4.5 million citizens.

I am also in favour of the proposal that the Urban Council Chairmanship should be taken up both by the appointed and elected members on a rotation basis. In so saying, I do not mean that our appointed colleague, Mr. SALES, is not good enough to be a chairman. On the contrary, he has done his job splendidly, working so hard and caring for everything within his knowledge, for which he is dubbed "the Dictator". Obviously, he is not remiss in his duties. However, some of our elected colleagues are perhaps as hard-working and capable as Mr. SALES and so are able to chair the Council should they be given such an opportunity.

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