XN000022-1975-10-23 — Page 13

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1975

NEED FOR 'REAL DETERRENT' PUNISHMENT EMPHASISED

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PUNISHMENT WHICH CONSTITUTES A +REAL DETERRENT+ TO CRIMINALS IS URGENTLY NEEDED, THE HON. T.S. LO DECLARED TODAY.

SPEAKING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBER POINTED OUT THAT GANGSTERS WHO COMMIT VIOLENT CRIMES, SUCH AS THE KIDNAPPING AND RAPE OF YOUNG GIRLS TO FORCE THEM INTO PROSTITUTION, GET ONLY A FEW YEARS' IMPRISONMENT IF CONVICTED. AS A RESULT, TODAY MANY PEOPLE IN HONG KONG BELIEVE THAT VIOLENCE AND CRIME DO PAY.+

IT IS NOT ONLY IMPORTANT TO DETECT CRIMES, MR. LO SAID. IT IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT TO PUNISH THEM ADEQUATELY, SO AS TO ENSURE THAT +PROFESSIONAL CRIMINALS DO NOT DISCOUNT THEIR PUNISH- MENT AS A PETTY PROFESSIONAL TAX, A MINOR OVERHEAD EXPENDITURE.+

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MR. LO MADE THE FOLLOWING SPECIFIC PROPOSALS:

THAT OUR LAWS BE URGENTLY REVISED SO AS TO INCREASE DRASTICALLY

SUCH THE MAXIMUM PENALTIES FOR OFFENCES AGAINST THE PERSON, AS ABDUCTION=

THAT LEGISLATION SIMILAR TO THE 1957 HOMICIDE ACT BE INTRODUCED. I.E. WHILE MOVING TOWARDS THE EVENTUAL ABOLITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY, THAT IT BE RETAINED FOR CERTAIN TYPES OF CRIMES=

THAT THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF THE REDUCTION OF SENTENCES FOR GOOD CONDUCT BE RECONSIDERED, ESPECIALLY AS REGARDS COMMUTED LIFE SENTENCES=

THAT THE GOVERNOR EXERCISE THE ROYAL PREROGATIVE REGARDING THE COMMUTATION OF DEATH SENTENCES ACCORDING TO THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF EACH CASE WITHOUT REGARD TO THE POSSIBILITY OF HIS DECISION BEING REVERSED.

TURNING TO THE PROVISION OF FACILITIES FOR RECREATION, MR. LO SAID THAT +FAR TOO LITTLE HAS BEEN DONE TO ENABLE OUR PEOPLE TO ENJOY THE SEA. HE SUGGESTED THAT GOVERNMENT SHOULD ESTABLISH A UNIT TO CONSIDER HOW TO MAKE MORE OF THE SEA AVAILABLE FOR MASS RECREATION.

MR. LO ALSO MADE A PLEA FOR FUNDS TO BE ALLOCATED TO A RESEARCH PROJECT BY HONG KONG'S TWO UNIVERSITIES ON CHINESE TRADITIONAL CURES. THE GOVERNMENT HAD NOT YET REPLIED TO THE . REQUEST FOR A SUM OF $300,000 FOR THE FIRST YEAR AND FOR EACH OF THE ENSUING TWO YEARS OF THIS PROJECT, AND HE ASKED FOR +SYMPATHETIC TREATMENT+ FOR RESEARCH WHICH HAD SUCH CONSIDERABLE +SOCIAL RELEVANCE+ AND COST BENEFITS.

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