RIGHTS THAT THERE IS A BASIC NEED TO MAINTAIN PUBLIC ORDER IN THE CONTEXT OF FREEDOM OF THE PRESS AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION,'' SHE
SAUD.
11. ANOTHER LEGCO MEMBER, SELINA CHOW, WHO VOTED FOR THE BILL AND HAD STRONGLY DEFENDED THE GOVERNMENT MOVE, SAID SHE REGARDED THE GUNDEL INES AS ASSURING, THE SCMP SAND. *** THINK IT IS A VERY CAUTIOUS APPROACH, MT IS THERE TO SAFEGUARD .. (THE PUBLIC FROM) ANY ABUSE OR EVEN ANY SORT OF FRIVOLOUS APPROACH TO THE APPLICATION OF THE LAW'', SHE SAHD.
....
12. LEGCO MEMBER RICHARD LAN TOLD REPORTERS AFTER A PUBLIC FUNCTION ON SUNDAY THAT JOURNALISTS AND PEOPLE IN THE LEGAL PROFESSIONS WOULD FORM A WORKING COMMITTEE TO FIND HOLES WN THE GUIDELINES AND SUBMNT THEIR VIEWS TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE WITH A VIEW TO THEIR FINDINGS BEING INCLUDED IN THE PROSECUTION GUIDELINES.
13. THE CHAIRMAN OF THE LAW SOCIETY, BRIAN TISDALL, SAID THE GUIDELINES 'EMASCULATED'' A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS LAW, THE SUNDAY MORNING POST REPORTED. THE PRESIDENT OF THE FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT CLUB, JM BDDULPH, SAID PUBLICATION OF THE GUIDELINES INDICATED THE GOVERNMENT HAD RECOGNISED THE VERY STRONG FEELINGS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AGAINST PARTS OF THE ORDINANCE. THE CHAIRMAN OF THE NEWSPAPER SOCIETY OF HK, SHUM CHOI-SANG, SAID HIS ORGANISATION STILL WANTED THE LAW REPEALED.
COMMENTARIES
14. THE GUIDELINES WERE COMMENTED ON BY THE SCMP IN TWO EDITORIALS (3 AND 4 MAY). WT WAS ALSO DISCUSSED IN MING PAO, THE MORNING NEWS, THE EXPRESS, WAH KIU YAT PO AND THE HK DAILY NEWS.
15. THE SCMP SAID THE GUNDELANES WHICH HAD NO STATUS IN THE LAW WERE A TEMPORARY MEASURE. ''THEY ARE NO SUBSTITUTE FOR A GOOD LAW: NO EXCUSE FOR THE LACK OF FORESIGHT IN INTRODUCING IT IN THE FIRST PLACE: AND NO REASON NOW FOR NOT REPEAL HNG IT.'' THE PAPER SAID.
15.
MING PAO, A STRONG CAMPAIGNER AGAINST THE ORDINANCE, SAID IN ITS EDITORIAL (4 MAY) THAT THE PUBLIC ORDER (AMENDMENT) ORDINANCE SHOULD BE REPEALED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THE PAPER SAID THE GUIDE- LINES COULD IN NO WAY MAKE AMENDS FOR A BAD LAW. THE MORNING NEWS (3 MAY) SAID THAT ALTHOUGH ET WAS GOOD TO SEE APPROPRIATE AMENDMENTS MADE TO THE PUBLIC ORDER ORDINANCE, PARTIAL. AND ADIVIDUAL CHANGES WOULD NOT BE ENOUGH. TO REPEAL AN UNPOPULAR LAW WOULD NOT DAMAGE THE GOOD STANDING OF THE GOVERNMENT AND DOING AWAY WITH AN ORDINANCE GENERALLY OBJECTED TO BY THE PUBLIC WOULD ONLY BOOST THE IMAGE OF AN ADMINISTRATION AND MAKE IT MORE POPULAR, THE PAPER SAID. WAH KIU YAT PO (4 MAY) SAID THAT THE MOVE WOULD NOT AFFECT PEOPLE'S DETERMIN- ATION TO FIGHT FOR A REVIEW OR REPEAL OF THE LEGISLATION. THE PAPER
CALLED ON LEGCO TO FORM A COMMITTEE TO REVIEW THE LEGISLATION.
17. BOTH THE HK DAILY NEWS AND THE EXPRESS TOOK A MORE POSITIVE LINE. THE HK DAILY NEWS (3 MAY) SALD THAT THE PUBLICATION OF THE GUIDELINES WAS AN EXPEDIENT MEASURE TO REDUCE THE UNFAVOURABLE
3
RESTRICTED
KONSEQUENCE
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