TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1980
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IDENTITY CARD CHECK AREAS EXTENDED
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THE GOVERNMENT TODAY ANNOUNCED THAT, IN VIEW OF THE CONTINUING HIGH LEVEL OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION, AN ORDER HAD BEEN MADE EXTENDING THE MANDATORY CARRYING OF IDENTITY CARDS TO COVER THE WHOLE OF THE NEW TERRITORIES AND OUTLYING ISLANDS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF NEW KOWLOON, TSUEN WAN TOWN, KWAI CHUNG AND TSING YI ISLAND.
THE EXTENSION WILL BECOME EFFECTIVE NEXT MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 15. THE ORDER, UNDER THE REGISTRATION OF PERSONS REGULATIONS, ALSO EXCLUDES HONG KONG ISLAND, KOWLOON, AP LEI CHAU, MIDDLE ÍSLAND AND STONECUTTERS ISLAND.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID RESIDENTS OF THE AREAS, AND THOSE WHO GO THERE, WHO FOR ANY REASON DID NOT HAVE IDENTITY CARDS MUST APPLY FOR THEM AT REGISTRATION OF PERSONS OFFICES.
ANYONE WHO HAS LOST HIS CARD, OR HAD IT STOLEN, SHOULD IMMEDIATELY TAKE STEPS TO APPLY FOR A REPLACEMENT.
WHEN A NEW CARD OR A REPLACEMENT HAS BEEN APPLIED FOR. THE APPLICANT SHOULD CARRY WITH HIM THE OFFICIAL RECEIPT OF HIS APPLICATION.
THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT PERSONS WHO ARE NOT REQUIRED TO HOLD IDENTITY CARDS - ESPECIALLY VISITORS TO HONG KONG - SHOULD CARRY SOME OTHER PROOF OF IDENTITY WHEN VISITING THE AREAS AFFECTED BY THE ORDER.
HE EXPLAINED THAT THE REASONS FOR EXTENDING THE AREAS WHERE THE CARRIAGE OF IDENTITY CARDS WAS REQUIRED WERE TO ASSIST THE SECURITY FORCES IN TRYING TO DETECT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS EN ROUTE TO THE URBAN AREA, AND TO LESSEN INCONVENIENCE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC BY SPEEDING UP THE PROCESS WHEN THEY ARE STOPPED FOR AN IDENTITY CHECK.
OVER THE LAST 14 MONTHS SIMILAR REQUIREMENTS WERE INTRODUCED FOR THE FRONTIER CLOSED AREA, PING CHAU IN MIRS BAY, THE MAI PO BIRD SANCTUARY AND THE SAI KUNG COUNTRY PARKS AND ADJACENT VILLAGE AREAS.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE INTRODUCTION OF THESE REQUIREMENTS HAS BEEN OF MARKED BENEFIT TO THE SECURITY FORCES IN IDENTIFYING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. BY EXTENDING THE AREAS COVERED TO INCLUDE MOST OF THE NEW TERRITORIES AND OUTLYING ISLANDS WE HOPE TO REAP EVEN MORE BENEFICIAL RESULTS,+
HE EXPLAINED THAT PEOPLE LIVING IN OR VISITING THE AREAS AFFECTED COULD HAVE THEIR IDENTITIES VERIFIED FROM THEIR IDENTITY CARDS IMMEDIATELY WHEN THEY WERE STOPPED.
+THIS MEANS INCONVENIENCE WILL BE CONSIDERABLY REDUCED AND THE SECURITY FORCES WILL BE ABLE TO CONCENTRATE THEIR ENQUIRIES ON THOSE WHO ARE UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THEMSELVES SATISFACTORILY, HE SAID.
THE SPOKESMAN