WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 1987
11
+THERE IS A PROVISION FOR THE DEFENCE OF THE ACCUSED IF HE PROVES THAT HE HAS REASONABLE GROUNDS TO BELIEVE THAT THE NEWS IS TRUE, + HE EXPLAINED.
+AN ADDITIONAL SAFEGUARD IS THAT NO PROSECUTION WILL BE COMMENCED WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, HE ADDED.
DR HO ALSO POINTED OUT THAT AS THE RULE OF LAW PREVAILED IN HONG KONG AND THE JUDICIARY WAS INDEPENDENT, ANY ABUSE OF THE LAW BY THE ADMINISTRATION WOULD BE DEALT WITH JUDICIOUSLY BY THE COURTS.
+ IN OTHER WORDS, THE COURTS WOULD PROVIDE AN EFFECTIVE SAFEGUARD FOR THE PUBLIC AGAINST POSSIBLE ABUSES OF THE LAW BY THE ADMINISTRATION,+ HE SAID.
SPIRIT OF BILL SUPPORTED
*****
IF THE DEGREE OF FALSE NEWS WAS SEVERE ENOUGH TO CAUSE PUBLIC DISTURBANCE, CERTAINLY THE PERSON WHO REPORTED THIS FALSE NEWS MUST BEAR THE RESPONSIBILITY, THE HON ALLEN LEE SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
SPEAKING AT THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE PUBLIC ORDER (AMENDMENT) BILL 1986, MR LEE SAID IT WAS IN THIS SPIRIT THAT HE SUPPORTED THE AMENDMENT TO THE BILL TO BE PROPOSED BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY.
MR LEE SAID HE DID NOT BELIEVE THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD AN INTENTION OF GAGGING THE PRESS OR EXERCISING WIDE-SPREAD CONTROL OVER THE MEDIA. THIS WAS CERTAINLY NOT THE PRINCIPLE NOR THE SPIRIT OF THE BILL.
+WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IS WITH REGARD TO FALSE NEWS WHICH IS LIKELY TO ALARM PUBLIC OPINION OR DISTURB PUBLIC ORDER.+
MR LEE BELIEVED THAT MEMBERS OF THE PRESS WOULD AGREE THAT THERE WAS PROFESSIONAL INTEGRITY INVOLVED IN JOURNALISM, AS IN ANY OTHER PROFESSION. TO REPORT FALSE NEWS WAS A SERIOUS MATTER AND SURELY IT WAS NOT IN THE INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
HE ADDED THAT THERE WOULD BE SUFFICIENT PROTECTION FOR MEMBERS OF THE PRESS BECAUSE THE PROSECUTION MUST ESTABLISH THAT IT WAS FALSE NEWS, THAT THE FALSE NEWS MUST BE HARMFUL ENOUGH AS LIKELY TO CAUSE PUBLIC ALARM OR DISTURB PUBLIC ORDER, AND THAT THE PROSECUTION OF THE OFFENCE MUST HAVE THE CONSENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.
+IF I