TNAG-0736-FCO40-940-Local-Intelligence-Committee-assessment-of-political-situati-1978 — Page 36

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OF THE SIX DISTRICT COMMITTEES ELECTED THREE OFFICE BEARERS WHO

AUTOMATICALLY BECAME MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE

JPOA. FIVE OF THE SEVEN FORMER MEMBERS OF THE PREPARATORY

COMMITTEE WHO HAD BEEN ELECTED TO SERVE ON DISTRICT COMMITTEES,

WERE SUBSEQUENTLY ELECTED TO THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. OF THESE

THREE WERE LATER ELECTED AS CHAIRMAN (STATION SERGEANT MICHAEL CHUNG), ONE OF THE VICE-CHAIRMEN AND TREASURER RESPECTIVELY.

3. DURING THE BUILD-UP TO THE ELECTIONS TWO MAIN FACTIONS

EMERGED WITHIN THE RANKS OF THE PREPARATORY COMMITTEE. THE

MODERATES, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF MICHAEL CHUNG, WERE CONFRONTED

BY DEMANDS FOR A MORE RADICAL APPROACH FROM A MILITANT GROUP INFLUENCED BY INTERDICTED OFFICERS. THE INFLUENCE OF THIS MILITANT GROUP BECAME STRONGER ON 25 FEBRUARY WHEN THE INDEPENDENT

COMMISSION AGAINST CORRUPTION (ICAC) ANNOUNCED ITS INTENTION TO HOLD IDENTIFICATION PARADES FOR FORTY SIX OFFICERS IMPLICATED

IN THE YAUMATEI CORRUPTION CASE. THE NEW EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

OF THE JPO A MET THOSE CONCERNED ON 25 FEBRUARY: THEY REVIVED

OLD GRIEVANCES AGAINST ICAC TACTICS, CRITICISED THE DELAY IN DEALING WITH THE YAUMATE! CASE AND ALLEGED THAT THE PROPOSED

IDENTIFICATION PARADES INDICATED THAT THE PROSECUTION CASE WAS WEAK. THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE HAS REPRESENTED THE INTERDICTED OFFICERS IN PRESENTING THEIR COMPLAINTS TO THE POLICE AUTHORITIES:

THEY HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE THAT IT CAN

ONLY BE THE INDIVIDUAL DECISION OF OFFICERS INVOLVED AS TO

WHETHER OR NOT THEY SHOULD ATTEND THE IDENTIFICATION PARADES.

THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE APPEARS TO REGARD THIS AS A TEST CASE

WHICH WILL DETERMINE THEIR ROLE IN REPRESENTING THE INTERESTS

OF THE RANK AND FILE.

ASSESSMENT.

JUNIOR

4. THE RESULTS OF THE JUNIOR POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION ELECTIONS

ARE MUCH AS ANTICIPATED. THE MODERATE FACTION, UNDER THE CONTINUED LEADERSHIP OF STATION SERGEANT MICHAEL CHUNG, APPEARS

TO HAVE THE EDGE IN THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. AT DISTRICT LEVEL, FOUR OF THE SIX DISTRICTS ARE HISTORICALLY MODERATE IN THEIR ATTITUDE: ALTHOUGH ONE DISTRICT (THE NEW TERRITORIES) IS NOW CHAIRED BY A RADICAL, AT DISTRICT LEVEL, MODERATE VIEWS ARE

LIKELY TO PREVAIL.

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