WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, 1990
7-
INCIDENT A BLOW TO CONFIDENCE IN RULE OF LAW
* * * * *
THE HON RONALD CHOW SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT THE RECENT INCIDENT RELATED TO THE ALLEGED SMUGGLING OF CARS TO CHINA HAD DAMAGED HONG KONG PEOPLE'S CONFIDENCE IN THE SUPREMACY OF THE RULE OF LAW BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER 1997.
SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE MOTION MOVED BY THE HON MARTIN
LEB.
MR CHOW SAID THE INCIDENT WAS A SERIOUS VIOLATION OF THE LAW BUT IT APPEARED THAT NO ONE WOULD BE PROSECUTED BY THE CHINESE OR THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENTS, NOR WOULD THE STOLEN CARS BE RETURNED.
HE SAID HE FOUND THE INCIDENT DISTURBING BECAUSE IT COULD BE SEEN AS PART OF AN ESCALATING PATTERN ON BEHALF OF BOTH GOVERNMENTS TO NOT FULLY UPHOLD AND ADHERE TO THE SUPREMACY OF THE RULE OF LAW AND TO INTERNATIONAL COMMITMENTS.
HE ALSO SAID BOTH THE CHINESE AND BRITISH GOVERNMENTS HAD CHOSEN TO IGNORE AND BRUSH OVER THE BASIC LAW'S SEVERAL CLEAR BREACHES OF THE LETTER AND SPIRIT OF THE JOINT DECLARATION.
DISREGARD
THE
HE SAID THE DECISION ΤΟ PLACATE CHINA AND PROSECUTE FIVE PRO-DEMOCRACY ADVOCATES IN A "KOWTOW" TO PRESSURE FROM CHINA REPRESENTED A DANGEROUS
FOR
GOVERNMENT'S SELF-ACKNOWLEDGED OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENANT ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS AND COMMITMENTS TO THE UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE CONTAINED IN THE OCTOBER 1989 THIRD PERIODIC REPORT.
MR CHOW URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO BE MORE VIGILANT IN UPHOLDING THE ABSOLUTE SUPREMACY OF THE RULE OF LAW.
"THERE ARE NO POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS THAT CAN JUSTIFY DISREGARDING THE LAW AND INTERNATIONAL COMMITMENTS.
"IF WE PLACE 'FACE' AND 'GOOD RELATIONS' ABOVE THE RULE OF LAW, THEN HONG KONG WILL FACE A GRAVE FUTURE INDEED, HE SAID.
"
:
0
CALL FOR JOINT FORCE TO TACKLE SMUGGLING
A JOINT SECURITY TASK FORCE COMPRISING HONG KONG AND CHINESE SECURITY OFFICIALS SHOULD BE FORMED TO CRACK DOWN ON CROSS-BORDER SMUGGLING ACTIVITIES, DR THE HON LEONG CHE-HUNG TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY').
OF
SUPPORTING THE HON MARTIN LEE'S MOTION ON ALLEGED SMUGGLING CARS TO CHINA, DR LEONG SAID SUCH INCIDENTS HAD ACCENTUATED THE LACK OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION CHANNELS BETWEEN THE HONG KONG AND GUANGDONG AUTHORITIES.
/HE SAID