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WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 1987
ARGUED
PUBLIC
MR LEE ADDED IT COULD NOT BE EITHER OF THESE FILMS "COULD LEAD TO DISQUIET LEADING то DISAFFECTION ON THE OFFICIALS".
THAT THE
EXHIBITION OF
DISTURBANCES OR PUBLIC PART OF LOCAL PUBLIC
MR LEE SAID: "WE HAVE ONLY SEEN TWO OF THESE 11 BANNED FILMS. BUT SINCE WE SAW THE WORST TWO, I AM CONFIDENT THAT THERE WOULD ВЕ EVEN LESS EXCUSE IN BANNING THE OTHER NINE.
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MR LEE SAID THE ISSUE BEFORE THE COUNCIL TODAY CONCERNED A WIDE PRINCIPLE, THE PRE-PUBLICATION CENSORSHIP OF FILMS. "BEFORE THIS COUNCIL VOTES ON THE MOTION IT IS IMPORTANT TO ASK OURSELVES THESE QUESTIONS: WHERE ARE WE GOING FROM HERE? ARE WE GOING FORWARD TOWARDS A GOVERNMENT WITH A HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY? OR ARE WE ENTERING AN ERA WHEN A NOD OR A SHAKE OF THE HEAD FROM SOMEONE IN
THE NEW CHINA
NEWS AGENCY WILL DECIDE WHAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG MAY OR MAY NOT SEE?
"FURTHER, ONCE WE ALLOW PRE-PUBLICATION CENSORSHIP IN FILMS, THERE IS NO WAY TO ARREST THE TIDE OF POLITICAL CENSORSHIP FROM OVERFLOWING TO THE THEATRE, TO TELEVISION AND TO THE PRINTED MEDIA.
"WE HAVE SEEN WHAT HAPPENED IN SRI LANKA. LET US STOP IT FROM HAPPENING IN HONG KONG, MR LEE ADDED.
NEED TO RETAIN POLITICAL CENSORSHIP CLAUSE
THE HON HILTON CHEONG-LEEN SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT IN THE INTEREST OF THE POLITICAL SECURITY AND WELL-BEING OF HONG KONG, THERE WAS NEED TO RETAIN THE FILM CENSORSHIP REGULATIONS 1987 WITHOUT DELETION OF REGULATION 3A (VII).
THE REGULATION CONCERNED TOUCHED ON THE CENSORSHIP RELATING TO DAMAGE TO GOOD RELATIONS WITH OTHER TERRITORIES.
PRINCIPLE
MR CHEONG-LEEN SAID: "THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN FOLLOWING THE SPIRIT OF THIS REGULATION BY WAY OF A GUIDELINE FOR OVER 13 YEARS ALREADY, AND IT HAS NOT DONE DAMAGE TO HONG KONG'S POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, SOCIAL OR CULTURAL VIABILITY, NOR VIOLATED INDIVIDUAL LIBERTIES, AS FAR AS I
CAN ASCERTAIN.
HOWEVER, HE AGREED THAT AS HONG KONG MOVED FORWARD TOWARDS 1997, LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS COULD MONITOR THE MANNER OF ENFORCEMENT OF THE REGULATION.
"IF AT ANY TIME THE ADMINISTRATION SHOULD SEEM ΤΟ BE ACTING EXCESSIVELY OR UNREASONABLY IN THE ENFORCEMENT OF THIS REGULATION, THUS CAUSING MUCH PUBLIC CONCERN ABOUT THE VIOLATION OF CIVIL LIBERTIES, ESPECIALLY FREEDOM OF THOUGHT AND EXPRESSION, THE LEGISLATURE BY MAJORITY VOTE CAN AT ANY TIME RESCIND REGULATION 3A (VII), HE ADDED.
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