TNAG-1815-FCO40-2576-Hong-Kong-Public-Order-(Amendment)-Bill-1988-1988 — Page 56

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FM HONG KONG

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нко 30112

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON

TELNO 584

OF 30103OZ NOVEMBER 88

017611

MDHIAN 3767

18

TO? COPY

Q DIST?

INFO IMMEDIATE HKGOS NEW YORK, WASHINGTON, BRUSSELS, GENEVA INFO PRIORITY FCO, PEKING

INFO SAVING SAN FRANCISCO

PUBLIC ORDER ORDINANCE : REVIEW OF SECTION 27

ORDINANCE

-

THE GOVERNMENT HAS REVIEWED SECTION 27 OF THE PUBLIC ORDER

THE SO-CALLED 'FALSE-NEWS'' PROVISION AND DECIDED TO PROPOSE ITS REPEAL. A POO (AMENDMENT) BILL WILL BE GAZETTED ON FRIDAY, 2 DECEMBER AND INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON 14 DECEMBER 1988. THE FULL TEXT OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BRIEF AND THE

PRESS RELEASE EXPLAINING THE BACKGROUND AND THE RATIONALE FOR REPEAL

IS BEING FAXED SEPARATELY. REFERENCE SHOULD ALSO BE MADE TO

INFORMATION NOTE ITEM S5.

LINE TO TAKE

2. THE DECISION SHOULD BRING SOME POSITIVE PR BENEFIT AND THERE

SHOULD NOT BE HOSTILE RESPONSE. IN DEALING WITH MEDIA AND OTHER QUERIES, YOU SHOULD ADOPT THE FOLLOWING LINE:

(A) THE HKG HAS BEEN CAREFULLY MONITORING THE EFFECTS OF SECTION 27.

THE MEDIA HAS CONTINUED TO REPORT FREELY:

(B) SECTION 27 WAS ONLY EVER INTENDED AS A LAST RESORT, A POINT UNDERLINED BY PUBLICATION OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S PROSECUTION

GUIDELINES:

(C) HKG HAS ASSESSED PUBLIC OPINION AND CONCLUDED THAT RETENTION

WOULD BE LIKELY TO CAUSE CONCERN TO THE PUBLIC OUT OF PROPORTION TO THE VALUE TO THE COMMUNITY OF RETAINING THE PROVISION: AND

(D) REPEAL IS A LOGICAL FINAL STEP OF THE LIBERALISATION PROCESS

BEGUN TWO YEARS AGO.

3. A Q AND A BRIEF HAS BEEN PREPARED, MAINLY FOR USE WITHIN HK. A

COPY IS IN MIFT.

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