WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 1987
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HE COULD NOT ENDORSE THE BILL AS IT NOW STANDS, BUT WOULD ONLY CONSIDER IT IF THE PRESS WOULD BE GIVEN REASONABLE PROTECTION FROM UNNECESSARY INTERFERENCE.
HE RECALLED THAT HE HAD URGED FOR THE REPEAL OF THE CONTROL OF PUBLICATIONS (CONSOLIDATION) ORDINANCE LAST AUGUST BECAUSE OF A NUMBER OF RESTRICTIVE AND OPPRESIVE+ PROVISIONS IN IT.
MR LAI SAID HE WAS DISMAYED TO FIND THAT THE PRESENT AMENDMENT AMOUNTED TO NO MORE THAN TRANSFERRING THE MOST OBJECTIONABLE+ ELEMENT OF ONE ORDINANCE TO ANOTHER.
HE NOTED THAT SECTION 27 OF THE BILL RETAINED THE SAME PROVISION HITHERTO STIPULATED IN SECTION 6 OF THE CONTROL OF PUBLICATIONS (CONSOLIDATION) ORDINANCE.
MR LAI SAID THAT SINCE MEMBERS WERE UNABLE TO COME UP WITH A CONSENSUAL DECISION AND IN THE LIGHT OF RECENT FLOOD OF PU BLI C OUTCRY, IT WOULD BE BETTER IF MORE TIME WAS ALLOWED TO STUDY THE AMENDMENTS CAREFULLY.
HE POINTED OUT THAT DURING THE 36 YEARS OF THE EXISTENCE OF THE CONTROL OF PUBLICATIONS (CONSOLIDATION) ORDINANCE, IT HAD ONLY BEEN USED THREE TIMES AND ALL DURING THE 1967 RIOTS.
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+THAT RECORD SPEAKS FOR ITSELF THE PRESS HERE IN HONG KONG, BY AND LARGE, IS RESPONSIBLE AND SELF-DISCIPLINED, HE SAID.
MR LAI SUGGESTED THAT IT WOULD BE MORE SENSIBLE TO SEE HOW THE PRESS WOULD BEHAVE WITHOUT BEING SUBJECT TO THE THREATS OF THE BILL SINCE SIMILAR LEGISLATION COULD BE INTRODUCED IMMEDIATELY IF THE RESULTS WERE LESS THAN CATISFACTORY.
CALL FOR UNCONDITIONAL PRESS FREEDOM
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FREEDOM OF SPEECH SHOULD BE UNCONDITIONAL AND THE IMPOSITION OF ANY CONDITIONS OR RESTRICTIONS WOULD RESULT IN A SITUATION WHERE ONE COULD ALWAYS TRUMP UP A CHARGE IN ORDER 10 CONDEMN SOMEBODY, THE HON LEE YU-TAI SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
SPEAKING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DURING THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE PUBLIC ORDER (AMENDMENT) BILL 1986, MR LEE SAID THE PROPOSED SECTION 27 OF THE BILL WAS ENTIRELY CONTRARY TO THE COMMON LAW PRINCIPLE UNDER WHICH AN ACCUSED PERSON WAS PRESUMED INNOCENT UNTIL PROVED OTHERWISE.
/HE SAID