XN000022-1985-05-15 — Page 13

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 1985

THERE APPEARED TO BE GAPS IN UNDERSTANDING THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEE PROBLEM BETWEEN HONG KONG AND BRITAIN.

+ I THEFEFORE URGE THE GOVERNMENT TO ENSURE THAT EVERY PIECE OF INFORMATION IS PROVIDED TO PERSUADE BRITAIN TO SET A GOOD EXAMPLE, SHE SAID.

ON THE CLOSED CAMPS MRS FAN SAID IT WOULD BE IMPRACTICAL TC ABOLISH THE POLICY BEFORE A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM WAS FOUND.

SHE APPRECIATED THAT LIFE IN CLOSED CAMPS WAS COMPARATIVELY DULL, AS REFUGEES COULD NOT SEEK OUTSIDE WORK OR LEAVE THE CAMPS AT WILL, BUT THEY DID ENJOY FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE AND WERE FREE FROM POLITICAL HARASSMENT.

MEMBER ABSTAINS FROM VOTING ON OATHS BILL

*****

LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLOR, THE HON CHAN KAM-CHUEN, ABSTAINED FROM VOTING AT THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE OATHS AND DECLARATIONS (AMENDMENT) BILL 1985 TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MR CHAN TOLD THE COUNCIL: +IF THE WORDING OF THE PROPOSED LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OATH AMOUNTS TO PLEDGING LOYALTY TO HONG KONG ONLY, THEN IT IS WRONG IN PRINCIPLE AS HONG KONG IS NOT AN INDEPENDENT STATE.

*THE DATE 1ST JULY, 1997, IS A CLEAR-CUT POLITICAL DIVIDING LINE WHICH AFFECTS OUR ALLEGIANCE, ECONOMY,

ECONOMY, SOCIETY. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT IT IS NOT BLURRED TOO SOON, HE SAID.

MR CHAN SAID MONTHS BEFORE THE BILL AND THE GOVERNMENT PRESS RELEASE WERE PUBLISHED, IT WAS ALREADY LEARNED FROM A TELEVISION INTERVIEW THAT AN ASPIRANT TO A SEAT IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL HAD STATED THAT IF THE OATH OF ALLEGIANCE RULE WAS NOT CHANGED HE WOULD RESIGN, EVEN IF ELECTED.

+THIS MAY BE MISCONSTRUED AS DICTATING TO THE GOVERNMENT THE

+ TERMS OF ENTRY TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, HE SAID.

+THESE MISCONCEPTIONS SHOULD BE EMPHATICALLY DENIED, OTHERWISE IT WOULD NOT ONLY UNDERMINE BRITISH ADMINISTRATION BEFORE 1997 TO THE DETRIMENT OF STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG BUT WOULD ALSO CREATE A SPECIAL PRIVILEGED CLASS AMONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS.

THE INTENTION