South China Morning
MAY
17th
73
POST
Kaifons heads
in favour of death penalty
Senior police officers and kaifong leaders met at a cocktail party yesterday to discuss the Fight Violent Crime Campaign but the main topic of conversation was: Why was 7soi Kwok cheong saved from the gallows?
Leaders of the eight kaifong associations in the Eastern District, who were guests of the police at the party held at Bayview Police Station, said the Queen had commuted the death sentence on Tsoi as she did not know the "real Hong- kong situation.”
All of the leaders said that Hongkong should follow the old Chinese system of “killing one to warn 100."
The President of the Causeway Bay Kaifong Association, Mr Tse Yu-chuen, said he believed that the death penalty should be imposed in Hongkong even though it had been abolished in the United Kingdom.
He said that il Hongkong was to be a safer place in which to live, the Government should keep the death penalty and carry it out after murderers are sentenced by the Supreme Court.
“We can't do anything over the Queen's decision to commute the death sentence on Tsoi, but í believe that if Tsoi was hanged, the young people would have to think twice before they started stabbing one another.” Mr Tse said.
He said that courts should not be too lenient on young people convicted of stabbing and serious assaults and that there should be heavier sentences in these cases,
The association's Vice-Chairman, Mr Shum Choi-sang, said that he was "not very happy” about the Queen's decision.
Mr Shum said that Hongkong should keep the death penalty and that "young hooligans would have to think twice before committing an offence.”
"They would be scared of the law if they knew they would be hanged if they had murdered someone," Mr Shum said.
The Chairman of the Chaiwan Kaifong Welfare Association, Mr So Ching, also agreed that Hongkong should keep the death penalty.
He said that if Hongkong laws remained as they were, criminals would not be frightened of committing offences.
"There are too many homicide cises here and the figures will „definitely rise if the death penalty is abolished." he said.
The Vice-Chairman of the Shaukiwan Kaifong Association, Mr Chan Hau-chi, also said that all convicted murderers should be hanged.
And the Shek O Village Representative. Mr Yip Chuen, shared similar views.
The District Commander. Hongkong Island, Mr J. W. Browell. held informal talks with the kaifong leaders on various aspects of the forthcoming Fight Violent Crime Campaign and on how better co-operation between the police and the public could be achieved.
Mr Browett thanked the kaifong leaders for their past co- operation with the police.
Mr Tse, representing the kaifong associations, said: "It is a good idea that Government is holding the campaign. You will get our full support."
нук
1
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.