WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1987
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HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE COMMENDED FOR CARRYING OUT AN EXTENSIVE AND EFFECTIVE CONSULTATION EXERCISE AND BEING IMPARTIAL IN FORMULATING THE BILL.
HE SAID THAT NO DOUBT INTERESTED GROUPS WERE USING THEIR OLD TACTIC OF +FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION+ AND +ART+ TO PULL WOOL OVER THE EYES OF THE PUBLIC AND THUS HOLD ON TO THEIR MULTI-BILLJON DOLLAR BUSINESS.
+IF INDECENT EXPOSURE IS PUNISHABLE BY LAW, THEN WHY SHOULD INDECENT PUBLISHINGS EXPOSING SEXUAL ORGANS NOT BE WRAPPED IN SUCH A WAY SO THAT IT IS OUT OF SIGHT AND OUT OF MIND?+, HE QUESTIONED.
MR CHAN SAID THE ISSUE OF MORAL STANDARDS WAS A CONTROVERSIAL SUBJECT, ESPECIALLY IN HONG KONG WHERE EAST MET WEST.
+ AM PLEASED THAT AT LONG LAST THE 98 PER CENT CHINESE VIEWS HAVE EARNED MORE RESPECT ON THIS ISSUE, HE ADDED.
RECORDING INDUSTRY'S CONCERN OVER OBSCENE ARTICLES BILL
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PRODUCERS OF SOUND AND AUDIOVISUAL RECORDING INDUSTRY HAVE VOICED CONCERN OVER THE SYSTEM OF VOLUNTARY CLASSIFICATION LAID DOWN IN THE CONTROL OF OBSCENE AND INDECENT ARTICLES BILL 1986, THE HON SELINA CHOW SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL, SHE SAID THE INDUSTRY'S ESTIMATION WAS THAT IN SPITE OF THE VOLUNTARY NATURE OF THE PROCEDURE RECORDING COMPANIES WOULD BE OBLIGED TO SUBMIT ALL MATERIAL FOR CLASSIFICATION IN ORDER TO GUARANTEE THEIR MANUFACTURE, DISTRIBUTION AND SALE IN HONG KONG.
MRS CHOW SAID THE INDUSTRY REGARDED THIS AS A POTENTIAL IMPEDIMENT TO ITS NORMAL FUNCTION.
+ IT LOOKS UPON THE SYSTEM AS A DUPLICATION OF THE CRIMINAL LAW, AND PLACES THE INDUSTRY IN DOUBLE JEOPARDY, SHE SAID.
MRS CHOW ADDED THAT THE INDUSTRY ALSO SAW A PRACTICAL PROBLEM IN THAT AS HONG KONG RELEASED SOME 1 000 SOUND RECORDINGS EACH MONTH, VOLUNTARY SUBMISSION OF ALL THIS MIGHT BECOME A TREMENDOUS ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN, INVOLVE RESOURCES WHICH WOULD EVENTUALLY HAVE TO BE BORNE BY THE INDUSTRY, AND WORST OF ALL, CREATE DELAY IN CLASSIFICATION AS WELL AS RELEASE AND PUBLICATION OF THESE MATERIAL.
/IT WAS