WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1985
9
MP'S ASKED TO BE HONEST WITH HK PEOPLE
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BRITISH MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT HAVE BEEN URGED TO BE TOTALLY HONEST, NOT ONLY WITH THEIR OWN CONSCIENCE AND HONOUR, BUT ALSO WITH THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WHEN TAKING PART IN THE FORTHCOMING PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE ON THE NATIONALITY WHITE PAPER.
THE PLEA WAS MADE BY THE HON STEPHEN CHEONG DURING AN ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON THE ISSUE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
MR CHEONG ALSO SUGGESTED THREE AREAS WHICH MP'S MIGHT WISH TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION IN THE IR FUTURE DELIBERATIONS.
+FIRST, PLEASE TAKE HEED OF THE REQUEST OF THE SMALL NUMBER (LESS THAN 10 000) OF BRITISH SUBJECTS OF HONG KONG WHO ARE NOT ETHNIC CHINESE,+ HE SAID.
MR CHEONG POINTED OUT THAT THE IR FEARS ABOUT POSSIBLE BECOMING STATELESS PERSONS AFTER 1997 COULD BE VIEWED AND CONSIDERED WITH A HIGH DEGREE OF UNDERSTANDING AND SYMPATHY.
+THEY DO DESERVE SPECIAL CONSIDERATION IF ONLY BECAUSE THE PLIGHT THEY CLAIM TO BE IN IS, IN MY VIEW, A PRODUCT OF THE LEGACY OF THE EMPIRE THAT WAS.
+MANY OF THE FOREFATHERS OF OUR NON-CHINESE FRIENDS MIGHT VERY WELL HAVE BEEN REQUIRED TO WORK AND EVENTUALLY SETTLED IN HONG KONG AS THEY WERE BROUGHT IN BY THE IR THEN COLONIAL MASTERS IN ORDER TO PERFORM THE NECESSARY PIONEERING WORK IN HONG KONG FOR THE GLORY OF THE THEN EMPIRE.
+THE UNIQUENESS OF THE IR CASE MUST RANK EQUALLY WITH, IF NOT HIGHER THAN, THE CASE OF THE GIBRALTARIANS AND FALKLANDERS FOR IT IS THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT THAT DECIDED TO RETURN HONG KONG TO CHINA,+ HE SAID.
MR CHEONG ADDED THAT HE COULD NOT SEE ANY REASON WITH BRITAIN SHOULD NOT GIVE SPECIAL CONSIDERATION FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT ETHNIC CHINESE IN HONG KONG IF THEY CHOSE TO CONCEDE TO GIBRALTARIANS AND FALKLANDERS. +AFTER ALL THE NUMBER IS MUCH LESS THAN THOSE OF GIBRALTAR. +
+ IF THE IR REQUESTS WERE TO BE REJECTED. THEN THEY SHOULD AT LEAST BE ENTITLED TO AN HONEST EXPLANATION FOR, WITHOUT IT, THE DECISION OF REJECTION COULD EASILY BE LOOKED UPON AS ONE THAT CARRIES TINTS OF RACIAL ISM.
+ IT WOULD NOT SERVE ANY USEFUL PURPOSE TO CONTINUE TO TRY TO PULL WOOLS OVER THE EYES OF THE GENTLE FLOCK, HE SAID.
'SECONDLY, MR