WEDNESDAY, JULY 9,
JULY 9, 1986
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SUPERVISION SCHEME INFRINGES ON FREEDOM'
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IF HEAVY PENALTIES IMPOSED TO CRACK DOWN ON TRIADS ARE FOUND TO INFRINGE ON PERSONAL FREEDOM AND THE DIGNITY OF HUMAN RIGHTS, THE ISSUE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED MOST CAREFULLY, THE HON JACKIE CHAN SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
HE VOICED STRONG OBJECTION TO THE SUGGESTED POLICE SUPERVISION SCHEME WHEN SPEAKING IN THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON THE DISCUSSION DOCUMENT ON THE TRIAD PROBLEM.
+PERHAPS SOME PEOPLE MAY SAY THAT HEAVY PENALTIES ARE REQUIRED IN TIMES OF TROUBLE, BUT IS HONG KONG IN SUCH TROUBLED TIMES THAT IT REQUIRES US TO SACR IF ICE OUR GOOD SPIRIT OF RULE BY LAW TO COMBAT CRIME?+ MR CHAN ASKED.
APART FROM RUNNING COUNTER TO THE SPIRIT OF RULE BY LAW, OPTION IN FACT LEFT MUCH ROOM FOR DISCUSSION, HE SAID.
THIS
THE SCHEME AT FIRST APPEARED TO BE ALL RIGHT AS IT WAS ONLY AIMED AT TRIAD ELEMENTS WHO HAD BEEN PENALISED BY DETENTION.
+BUT, IN PRACTICE, THE SITUATION MAY NOT BE AS SIMPLE AS WHAT WE EXPECT AS ORDINARY CITIZENS WILL ALMOST INEVITABLY BE INVOLVED BECAUSE OF THE IR SIMILAR APPEARANCE TO SPECIAL CITIZENS UNDER POLICE SUPERVISION.
+AS A RESULT, THEY WILL OFTEN BE DISTURBED UNNECESSARILY AND THE IR PERSONAL FREEDOM SERIOUSLY INFRINGED UPON,+ MR CHAN SAID.
HE BELIEVED IT WAS IMPRACTICAL TO ENACT A PIECE OF LEGISLATION WHICH WOULD CAUSE INCONVENIENCE TO THE MAJORITY OF CITIZENS SIMPLY BECAUSE SUPERVISION WAS REQUIRED FOR A SMALL NUMBER OF TRIAD MEMBERS RELEASED FROM DETENTION.
BESIDES THIS, HE FELT THE SCHEME WOULD HAVE A SERIOUS IMPACT ON THE PSYCHOLOGY OF THE RELEASED PRISONERS WHO MIGHT FEEL DISCRIMINATED AGAINST AND REJECTED BY THE COMMUNITY DESPITE HAVING SERVED THE IR DUE PUNISHMENT.
THIS COULD INDUCE A RESISTANCE TO THE LAW AND HOSTILITY TOWARDS THE COMMUNITY, LEADING ULTIMATELY TO A CRIMINAL OFFENCE BEING COMMITTED AGAIN,
MR CHAN BELIEVED THAT MANY EMPLOYERS WOULD BE RELUCTANT TO CONSIDER TAK ING ON RELEASED PRISONERS UNDER SUPERVISION.
+ THE EXISTING POLICY IS TO ASSIST RELEASED PRISONERS TO TURN OVER A NEW LEAF AND RETURN TO SOCIETY. +
/+THIS BIZARRE