A WEEKLY SUMMARY OF CHINESE EDITORIALS
PART I
Summary and Assessment
'BRING BACK THE LOOP'
Reports from London that Britain would not intervene if Hong Kong reinstated capital punishment prompted calls from seven papers to bring back the hangman's noose.
All papers the Express, Sing Tao Jih Pao, Wah Kiu Yat Po, Sing Pao, Tin Fung Yat Po, Kung Sheung Daily News and Kung Sheung Evening News - maintained that the reinstatement of the death penalty would produce a deterrent effect on violent criminals and would prevent our law and order situation from deteriorating.
"The number of homicide cases will certainly keep on rising if we still condone killers," Sing Pao contended.
The Express and Tin Fung noted that to spare murderers from the loop was unfair to their victims. "In fact, they have died because of the lenient policy towards killers," Tin Fung said.
Wah Kiu said that by reintroducing capital punishment, the Government would be able to save many lives who might otherwise be victimised by the outlaws.
"We hope the Hong Kong and the British Governments would seriously consider this problem with reference to Hong Kong's situation," the Express urged.
Sharing the Express's view, Kung Sheung Daily News added that it was against the principles of the laws which were made to punish and eradicate criminals, to maintain society's stability and protect people's property, if every convicted murderer had his death sentence commuted.
CONCERN OVER MTR ROW
In the wake of the MTR Corporation's move to obtain a court injunction to ban its employees from displaying posters and slogans at MTR stations as the first step of their industrial action to press for better pay and promotion prospects, nine papers during the week under review expressed concern over the industrial dispute.
In three editorials, the Hong Kong Daily News, together with most other papers, stressed that the dispute could be resolved only through negotiations. Neither the workers nor the management should take action against the other while negotiations were going on under the mediation of the Labour Department, the paper contended. Moreover, the paper warned that MTR services would be affected if both sides held fast to their extreme stand.
The paper shared the view of the Express that arguments over the court injunction now would be fruitless.
Nevertheless, the paper maintained that the High Court's decision to extend the injunction order was made in the interests of the public and in deference to people's wishes. It regretted that the MTRC had over-reacted as an application for an injunction order was considered as the last resort to solve a labour dispute.
Workers should give the management ample time to consider and draw up a sound promotion system and pay structure. Similarly, the corporation should recognise the status of the union and allow it to take part in talks concerning staff regulations and employees' welfare, the Express urged.
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