TUESDAY, JULY 24, 1734
14
TATTOO LAW PROTECTS YOUTHS
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TATTOOS ARE DIFFICULT TO ERASE AND THE DAMAGE THEY HAVE CAUSED TO THE SKIN IS PERMANENT. THE HON CHAN KAM-CHUEN SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE TATTOOING OF YOUNG PERSONS BILL 1984, MR CHAN SAID, HENCE THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION IS NECESSARY TO PROTECT THE YOUTHS FROM DOING SOMETHING, WHICH IS IRREVOCABLE, ON THE IMPULSE OF CONFORMITY OR TO IDENTIFY THEMSELVES WITH THE BAD COMPANY THEY KEEP.+
MR CHAN NOTED THAT TATTOOING HAD A LONG HISTORY DATING BACK TO ABOUT 2000 BC.
IN THE MODERN TIMES TATTOO WAS USED FOR IDENTIFYING RELEASED CONVICTS, ARMY DESERTERS, AND INMATES OF CONCENTRATION CAMPS, AS WELL AS FOR MEMBERSHIP IDENTIFICATION IN THE UNDERWORLD, HE SAID.
HE POINTED OUT THAT VOLUNTARY TATTOOING WAS ABSENT IN MOST OF CHINA, POSSIBLY DUE TO THE CONFUCIAN TEACHING +DO NOT INJURE OR DAMAGE ONE'S BODY, HAIR AND SKIN AS THESE ARE BEQUEATHED BY ONE'S PARENTS. TO OBSERVE THIS IS THE FIRST STEP TO FILIAL PIETY.+
THE YOUNGER GENERATION SHOULD BE EDUCATED THROUGH A PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN ON THE UNDESIRABLE IMPLICATIONS OF TATTOOING AS WELL AS ON THE POSSIBILITY OF SKIN CANCER OR HEPATITIS WHICH MIGHT RESULT FROM UNSTERILISED NEEDLES AND CARCINOGENIC PAINTS, HE SAID.
ALSO SPEAK ING IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL, THE HON CHEUNG YAN-LUNG PROPOSED TO MAKE IT AN OFFENCE TO TATTOO A YOUNG PERSON UNDER THE AGE OF 18 UNLESS THERE WAS CONSENT FROM HIS PARENTS OR WHERE THERE WERE ADEQUATE REASONS.
+ IN FACT, A SIMILAR ACT WAS PASSED IN THE UK AS EARLY AS 1969 WHICH AIMS AT RESTRICTING THE TATTOOING OF MINORS UNTIL THEY REACH THE AGE OF CONSENT WHEN THEY HAVE A MATURE MIND TO MAKE SUCH A FATEFUL DECISION, HE SAID.
HE EXPLAINED THAT THE ISSUE WAS NOT A QUESTION OF LACK OF RESPECT FOR THE PERSONAL INTEREST AND TASTE OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE,
+WE HOPE ONLY THAT THEY WILL UNDERSTAND ONCE A TATTOO IS MADE, IT IS IRREMOVABLE AND THE STIGMA MAY AFFECT THEM FOR THE REST OF THE IR LIVES, HE SAID.
AS FOR THOSE ALREADY TATTOOED, MR CHEUNG EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT THEY WOULD BE ACCEPTED BY SOCIETY, AND THAT THERE WOULD BE NO DISCRIMINATION AGAINST THEM.
IN PARTICULAR,