XN000022-1979-07-18 — Page 8

WEDNESDAY, JULY 18, 1979

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GOVERNMENT ENCOURAGES THE USE OF IDENTITY CARD

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THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON, LEWIS DAVIES, REASSURED THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT THE INTENTION OF THE REGISTRATION OF PERSONS (AMENDMENT)(NO. 2) BILL WAS TO ENCOURAGE THE USE OF IDENTITY CARDS IN DEALING WITH GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS.

+WE DID NOT THINK IT RIGHT TO MAKE IT AN OFFENCE FOR A PERSON TO FAIL TO USE THE NAME ON HIS IDENTITY CARD IN HIS DEALINGS WITH GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS. NEITHER IS IT INTENDED THAT A PERSON SHOULD BE REFUSED A SERVICE IF HE DOES NOT OR CANNOT PRODUCE HIS IDENTITY CARD. FOR EXAMPLE, IT WOULD BE UNACCEPTABLE TO DENY A PERSON MEDICAL TREATMENT IN SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES,+ MR. DAVIES SAID.

THE REMARKS WERE MADE DURING THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE BILL AFTER CONCERN WAS EXPRESSED BY THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN ON THE REPERCUSSIONS ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WHO HAVE FOUND EMPLOYMENT AND SETTLED IN HONG KONG FOR SOME TIME.

BUT, MR. DAVIES POINTED OUT THAT IN SOME CIRCUMSTANCES PROOF OF IDENTITY WOULD BE REQUIRED, FOR EXAMPLE, AS A PRECONDITION FOR THE ISSUE OF CERTAIN LICENCES AND PERMITS AND WHEN THIS WAS REQUIRED THE TRANSACTION WOULD BE COMPLETED USING THE NAME OF THE IDENTITY CARD.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN HAD ASKED WHETHER A GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT WOULD IN PRACTICE REFUSE TO DEAL WITH A PERSON UNLESS HE PRODUCED AN IDENTITY CARD, AND TO WHAT EXTENT THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS COULD BE SUBJECT TO BLACKMAIL, INTIMIDATION OR REGARDED AS OPPORTUNITIES FOR CORRUPTION IN THEIR EVERYDAY ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.

HE ALSO ASKED WHETHER THERE HAD BEEN ANY ASSESSMENT OF THEIR NUMBERS AND WHETHER THERE WERE ANY REQUIREMENTS OR GUIDELINES UNDER WHICH THEY CAN SURFACE AND APPLY FOR IDENTITY CARDS.

COMMENTING ON THE PUBLISHING OF GUIDELINES UNDER WHICH ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS COULD SURFACE AND APPLY FOR IDENTITY CARDS, MR. DAVIES SAID HE COULD NOT SUPPORT THE PROPOSAL.

+ WOULD NOT WISH TO DEPART FROM THE GENERAL PRINCIPLE OF IMMIGRATION CONTROL THAT EACH CASE IS DEALT WITH ON ITS MERITS, + HE SAID.

MR. DAVIES POINTED OUT THAT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA USUALLY PRESENTED THEMSELVES FOR REGISTRATION WITHIN A FEW WEEKS OF THEIR ARRIVAL AND THAT THEY COULD DO SO IS GIVEN WIDE PUBLICITY IN THE MEDIA.

+THERE IS OF COURSE SOME RISK THAT BETWEEN THE TIME OF THEIR ARRIVAL AND OF REGISTRATION THEY MAY BE SUBJECT TO CRIMINAL VICTIMISATION, BUT THIS IS INHERENT IN THE FACT OF THE IR ILLEGAL ENTRY IN THE FIRST PLACE AND THEIR SUBSEQUENT STAY,+ HE SAID,

IT WAS DIFFICULT TO ESTIMATE HOW MANY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND OVERS TAYERS WERE CURRENTLY LIVING IN HONG KONG WITHOUT HAVING REGIS FORED, BUT HE BELIEVED THAT THE NUMBER WAS NOT LARGE.

THE BILL WAS LATER PASSED.

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