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A delegate from Malaysia: Mr Chairman, and particularly Mrs Chan, we in Malaysia are looking at Hong Kong with great anxiety because we feel that as a member of the CPA we would like very much Hong Kong, after 1997, remains what they are. And then I would like particularly to ask (with) regard to the democratic process and parliamentary system, as what you said just now, the judicial rule of law for Hong Kong in the future shall be based on the basis of the rule of law. Now I would like to ask you whether in what capacity, what form of rule of law? Whether based on a parliamentary system to that of the Common Law, and based on what background? You talk about the Common Law, are they based on the conventional Hong Kong background or the British system?
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And further, I would like to ask, Madam, with regard to the defence - I don't hear very much about the defence system of Hong Kong in future when Mainland China, under CCP, which has purely the background of the Communist system, and here we would like to see a future democratic process, these two ideologies normally would not go along - then we would look forward with great scepticism/optimism with how the defence system will be looking into Hong Kong's future.
And finally, with the economic point of view, we know fully well Hong Kong has prospered and gone very far from(?) (to) what they are now in the global situation. Now whether they can really meet to a certain level acceptable to Hong Kong people and the country that is the CCP Government in future, with regard to whether they will adopt a win/win situation with regard to the people of Hong Kong and with that in Mainland China. So these three points I would like to ask you to elaborate on.
Mr M H Amier (Tanzania); Mr Chairman, mine is a very simple question. I learnt that before last year Members of the Chamber were nominated by the Governor. What was the procedure followed as one to be nominated?
President: You mean the previous system?
Mr MH Amier (Tanzania): Yes.
President: Can I handle that in my session when I speak? Or, if the Chief Secretary would like to answer that too? I have another Member on my Executive Committee who would like to make a point and another delegate from Hong Kong, but time is running out. Let's keep some time for the Chief Secretary to try to respond to all the points fairly and reasonably.
Chief Secretary: Can I first of all comment on the questions on press freedom. The two International Covenants on Civil and Political Rights, on Economic, Cultural and Economic Rights, are of course applied here in Hong Kong, and under the Basic Law these two International Covenants will continue to apply in Hong Kong after 1997. And in particular, we enacted in the early 1990, the Bill of Rights Ordinance in order to give local effect to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and of course under that, press freedom is one of the freedoms that are guaranteed.