TNAG-1687-FCO40-2337-Hong-Kong-legislation-regarding-the-control-of-publications--1987 — Page 183

GRS 1150

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 1013

OF 131015Z MARCH 87

CONFIDENTIAL (AMENDED DISTRIBUTION 13/3)

RECEIVEL

16 MAR 1987

MER

Y

TOP COPY Q DIST?

von Taken

MY TELNO 998: PUBLIC ORDER AMENDMENT) BILL

1.

FURTHER TO TUR, YOU MAY BE INTERESTED TO HAVE AN ASSESSMENT

OF THIS DEBATE AND OF ITS WIDER IMPLICATIONS.

2.

THE PUBLIC ORDER (AMENDMENT) BILL EMERGED FROM A REVIEW OF

THE CONTROL OF NEWSPAPERS (CONSOLIDATION) ORDINANCE, WHICH CONTAINED

A NUMBER OF LONG-STANDING AND DRACONIAN MEASURES FOR CONTROLLING THE PRESS. THE ADMINISTRATION PROPOSED TO REPEAL THIS BILL, EXCEPT FOR ONE CLAUSE CONCERNING THE PUBLICATION OF FALSE NEWS, WHICH WE PROPOSED TO REMOVE TO THE PUBLIC ORDER ORDINANCE.

3. THE PUBLIC ORDER (AMENDMENT) BILL WAS GAZETTED IN DECEMBER 1986

AND INTRODUCED INTO LEGCO IN JANUARY. IT WAS THEN, AS USUAL, EXAMINED BY AN AD HOC GROUP OF LEGCO MEMBERS. THE PRINCIPLE OF THE BILL AND AN AMENDMENT TO CLAUSE 2 OF THE BILL WAS AGREED BY A MAJORITY OF THE GROUP ON 10 FEBRUARY. THE AMENDED BILL WAS THEN TWICE DISCUSSED BY THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF LEGCO AT THEIR IN-HOUSE MEETING: ON 27 FEBRUARY THE ADMINISTRATION WAS ADVISED THAT A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS WOULD SUPPORT THE AMENDED BILL. IT WAS

GAZETTED ON 6 MARCH.

4.

{

THROUGHOUT THIS CONSULTATIVE PROCEDURE, MARTIN LEE OPPOSED THE BILL, BUT RECEIVED LITTLE SUPPORT. AFTER THE DECISION TAKEN ON 27 FEBRUARY, HE PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED HIS OPPOSITION TO THE BILL AND HIS INTENTION TO TABLE A FURTHER AMENDMENT TO CLAUSE 2. THE GREAT MAJORITY OF THE MEDIA SPRANG TO HIS SUPPORT AND BEGAN TO DENOUNCE THE BILL IN STRONG TERMS. IN THE RUN UP TO THE DEBATE, THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL WERE SUBJECTED TO INTENSE

LOBBYING BY MAIL AND PHONE, AND MARTIN LEE WENT TO GREAT LENGTHS TO WIN MEMBERS TO HIS SIDE. AS A RESULT OF THESE EFFORTS, A SMALL NUMBER OF MEMBERS WHO WERE ORIGINALLY IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL

DECIDED TO ABSTAIN OR TO OPPOSE IT. THE MAJORITY HOWEVER, REMAINED QUIETLY RESOLVED NOT TO ALTER THEIR EARLIER DECISION AND TO CONTINUE

TO SUPPORT THE BILL.

5. QUITE APART FROM ITS LENGTH, THERE WERE MANY NOVEL ASPECTS (FOR HONG KONG) TO THE DEBATE. THE ATMOSPHERE IN THE CHAMBER WAS HIGHLY CHARGED AND THE PUBLIC AND PRESS GALLERIES WERE FULL THROUGH- OUT THE EIGHT HOURS, LARGELY WITH MEDIA PEOPLE, MANY OF THEM PROMINENT OPPONENTS OF THE BILL. THERE WERE OCCASIONAL OUTBURSTS OF SPONTANEOUS APPLAUSE FOR ''OPPOSITION POINTS AND ON SEVERAL

1 1

CONFIDENTIAL

lOCCASIONS.

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