WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, 1990
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FOCUS MORE ON RE-BUILDING CONFIDENCE
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LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS TAKE AN OATH TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND THEREFORE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO COMMUNICATE ON GOVERNMENT ACTION IN ORDER TO CONTRIBUTE TO SUCCESSFUL GOVERNANCE, THE HON PAUL CHENG SAID IN THE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
SPEAKING IN THE DEBATE ON A MOTION MOVED BY THE HON MARTIN LEE, MR CHENG EXPLAINED WHY HE HAD CIRCULATED NOTICE OF HIS INTENTION TO MOVE AN AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION, WHICH EXPRESSED CONCERN OVER THE ALLEGED SMUGGLING INCIDENT WHICH OCCURRED ON MAY 3.
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MR CHENG SAID HIS INTENTION WAS TO RE-FOCUS ATTENTION ON WHAT WAS IMPORTANT TO THE HONG KONG PEOPLE ATTENTION TO HOW WELL THE GOVERNMENT HAD SERVED IN ITS SUBSEQUENT ACTIONS IN UPHOLDING THE INTERESTS OF HONG KONG AND EFFECTING FRUITFUL COMMUNICATION WITH THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA.
HE SAID MR LEE'S MOTION CARRIED A NEGATIVE CONNOTATION WITHOUT DUE REGARD FOR BALANCE FROM THE POSITIVE ACTIONS TAKEN.
"I FEEL WE MUST ALL FOCUS MORE ON RE-BUILDING CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG RATHER THAN ON SEEKING EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO PUT UNDUE PRESSURE ON THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA AND/OR
ADMINISTRATION DURING THESE SENSITIVE TIMES, HE SAID.
M
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AS PROPOSED
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HE ADDED: "THE MOTION RESPONSIBILITY AS LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS TO DIRECTION FOR THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.
THE
CALLS INTO QUESTION OUR PROVIDE LEADERSHIP AND
TODAY. WE HAVE A
CONFIDENCE.
"IT IS THIS BROADER ISSUE THAT CONCERNS ME RESPONSIBILITY TO TAKE ACTIONS WHICH FOCUS ON RE-BUILDING WE SHOULD NOT BE SPENDING VALUABLE TIME ON EFFORTS THAT RISK OF UNDERMINING THE CONFIDENCE OF OUR COMMUNITY.*
MAY RUN THE
MR CHENG SAID THAT HE SHARED CONCERN OVER THE INCIDENT ITSELF AND OVER THE COMMUNICATION DIFFICULTIES IN ITS AFTERMATH.
"
"BUT THAT DOES NOT HAVE TO TRANSLATE INTO SUPPORTING A MOTION WHICH WILL ONCE AGAIN FUEL THE WORRIES OF THE HONG KONG PEOPLE,' HE NOTED.
HE SAID AS LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS, MEMBERS WERE DUTY BOUND TO EXERCISE SOUND JUDGEMENT, WISE COUNSEL, AND RESPONSIBLE LEADERSHIP.
MERELY KNOW
"WITH THIS DUTY IN FRONT OF US 1 BELIEVE WE SHOULD NOT
J REGISTER CONCERN, BUT WE SHOULD ALSO LET THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG THAT THE ADMINISTRATION HAS OUR SUPPORT IN THE WAY THE MATTER IS BEING RESOLVED.
"THE COMMUNITY ALREADY KNOWS THE GRAVITY OF THE MATTER THROUGH VARIOUS MEDIA REPORTS. WHAT THEY MAY NOT FULLY APPRECIATE IS OUR HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSE TO THE MATTER, MR CHENG SAID,
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