XN000022-1987-03-11 — Page 19

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 1987

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NEED TO EXERCISE REASONABLE CONTROL

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TO EXERCISE A REASONABLE LEVEL OF CONTROL IN THE LEGISLATION FOR THE BEST INTEREST OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC WAS A MUST, DR THE HON CHIU HIN-KWONG SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE RESUMED DEBATE OF THE PUBLIC ORDER (AMENDMENT) BILL 1986 IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, DR CHIU SAID HE SUPPORTED THE PRINCIPLES OF THE BILL.

HE SAID HE WOULD LIKE TO EMPHASISE THAT ALL LEGISLATORS SHOULD BE FAIR TO ALL AND THAT REVIEW EXERCISES SHOULD BE UNDERTAKEN FROM TIME TO TIME IN THE LIGHT OF THE ACTUAL EXPERIENCE OBTAINED FROM ENACTMENT.

HE SAID THAT IT WAS MOST UNFORTUNATE THAT THE REAL INTENTION, SINCERITY AND GOOD WILL TO AMEND THE OUTDATED ORDINANCE BY REMOVING THE SUPPRESSION PROVISIONS FROM THE CONTROL OF PUBLICATIONS CONSOLIDATION ORDINANCE AND TRANSFERRING THE CONTROL PROVISION REGARDING +PUBLICATION OF FALSE NEWS+ TO THE PUBLIC ORDER ORDINANCE HAD BEEN, TO A LARGE EXTENT, OVERSIGHTED.

HE SAID THE IDEA OF UPDATING THE ORDINANCE WAS GENERATED AFTER THE SIGNING OF THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION.

+AS THE POLITICAL SITUATION AND FOREIGN RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HONG KONG AND HER NEIGHBOURHOOD COUNTRIES TODAY ARE VERY DIFFERENT FROM THAT IN THE PAST, THE GOVERNMENT IN CONSIDERING THE IMPORTANCE AND NECESSITY TO SAFEGUARD THE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS DURING THE TRANSITION AND THE PERIOD BEYOND 1997, FEELS THAT IT IS THE TIME TO REPEAL CERTAIN SECTIONS OF THE ORDINANCE REGARDING TO THE CONTROL AND SUPPRESSION OF NEWSPAPERS AND TO UPDATE SOME PROVISIONS OF OUR EXISTING ORDINANCE CONCERNING THE REGISTRATION OF NEWSPAPERS,+ HE SAID.

IN THE PROCESS OF SO DOING, THE NEED TO EXERCISE SOME SORT OF CONTROL TO ENSURE THE QUALITY OF REPORTING WAS ALSO CONSIDERED AS IMPERATIVE, HE ADDED.

REFERRING TO WORRIES EXPRESSED BY CONCERNED GROUPS THAT THE ENACTMENT OF THE BILL WOULD MEAN. AN INFRINGEMENT OF THE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IN GENERAL AND THE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS IN PARTICULAR, DR CHIU SAID THEIR WORRIES AND ANXIETY WERE UNDERSTOOD AND THAT HE SHARED THEIR FEELINGS TO THE UTMOST.

HE SAID THAT AS A HONG KONG RESIDENT HE COULD NOT AGREE WITH THE JOURNALISTS AND PUBLISHERS MORE THAT PRESS FREEDOM WAS A FUNDAMENTAL AND ESSENTIAL ELEMENT IN HONG KONG ESPECIALLY DURING THE NEXT 10 YEARS LEADING TO POST-1997.

+WHILE I RECOGNISE THE IMPORTANCE OF FREEDOM OF PRESS, I CANNOT FORGET THAT TO RECEIVE ACCURATE AND RESPONSIBLE INFORMATION AND REPORTING IS ALSO A BASIC HUMAN RIGHT.

+AS A LEGISLATOR I AM BOUND TO STRIKE A BALANCE BETWEEN THEM IF CONFLICT ARISES+ HE ADDED.

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