XN000022-1986-07-09 — Page 30

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 9, 1986

MR LIU SAID HE AGREED IN PRINCIPLE WITH THE VARIOUS OPTIONS PROPOSED IN THE DOCUMENT.

HOWEVER, HE HAD CERTAIN RESERVATIONS, FOR EXAMPLE ON THE OPTION TO PROHIBIT CONVICTED TRIAD MEMBERS FROM ENTERING CERTAIN PUBLIC PLACES.

+RESTRICTING THEM FROM ENTERING PREMISES DOES NOT GUARANTEE THAT THEY WILL NOT GATHER AT OTHER UNEXPECTED PLACES, OR EVEN CARRY OUT MORE SECRET ACTIVITIES WHICH RENDER POLICE INVESTIGATION EVEN MORE DIFFICULT,+ HE ARGUED,

HE ALSO FELT THAT THE RESTRICTION SEEMED TO HAVE DEPRIVED THE INDIVIDUAL OF HIS BASIC FREEDOM AND IT WAS NECESSARY TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER THIS OPTION WAS PARCTICABLE AND EFFECTIVE.

MR LIU SAID HE FULLY SUPPORTED THE LEGAL PROCEDURE CONCERNING THE SCHEME FOR RENUNCIATION OF TRIAD MEMBERSHIP AS THIS GAVE TRIAD MEMBERS A CHANCE OF REHABILITATION.

AS FOR THE OPTION CONCERNING IDENTIFICATION PARADES, MR LIU URGED THAT IT BE ADOPTED SO AS TO ENCOURAGE MORE WITNESSES TO COME FORWARD AND ASSIST THE POLICE IN PUNISHING CRIMINALS WITHOUT FEAR OF REPRISAL,

MR LIU CRITICISED THE OPTION FOR LEGAL ISING MORE GAMBLING ACTIVITIES WHICH HE SAID WOULD BE A SERIOUS MISTAKE AND COULD NEVER HELP SOLVE THE TRIAD PROBLEM.

+ON THE CONTRARY, THIS WOULD BRING ABOUT A NEGATIVE EFFECT BY ENCOURAGING MORE GAMBLING ACTIVITIES, HE SAID.

HEAVY PENALTY AND TOUGH LAWS IMPORTANT

****

THE IMPORTANCE OF HEAVY PENALTIES AND TOUGH LAWS TO DETER CRIMES WAS UNDERLINED BY THE HON POON CHI-FAI DURING THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON THE TRIAD PROBLEM.

THE USE OF HEAVY PUNISHMENT AT TROUBLED TIMES WAS INDEED IN VITABLE, HE SAID.

K

MR POON SAID HE HOPED THAT THE AUTHORITIES CONCERNED WOULD, AS FAR AS POSSIBLE, LIST OUT THE MAXIMUM AS WELL AS MINIMUM PENALTIES OF ALL OFFENCES IN THE PENAL CODE AND MAKE SURE THAT SERIOUS CRIMES WOULD BE SEVERELY PUNISHED.

/HE ALSO

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