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MR. CHAN KWOK-LEUNG (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, truth speaks for itself. It will be willing to have a dialogue with Members. It is somewhat regrettable that the Council Chamber is rather quiet today. I would like to hear from you, Members of the DAB. You have disappointed me.
I remember that on the day we vetted the application by the Alliance for a venue to display the Pillar of Shame, Mr. Ip Kwok-chung said, 'The Pillar of Shame is a political work of art which should not be placed at one of the Council's venues. Please continue to give your reasons. Why haven't you spoken? I find it a pity indeed. I have always thought of the DAB as a pro-China body. I invite you to speak on behalf of Beijing and China. I thought
CHAIRMAN (in Cantonese):—Sorry, you drew into your speech political parties and personalities and you were far-fetched. We are talking about the criteria for the hiring of venues, not films or the Pillar of Shame. So, please respond to points raised before. If you find certain points not right, you can criticize. But you don't have to pinpoint people's names. The Standing Orders have not ruled that every Member must speak.
MR. CHAN KWOK-LEUNG (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, I was just expressing the sentiment of disappointment.
Just now, Mr. LAI and Ms. CHOW said art should not be polluted and it should not be made a tool of political propaganda. Actually, by saying so, they are exercising political censorship. To express political ideas through the medium of art is the freedom of the artists. If we try to stop artists from expressing their political ideas, we are depriving them of their freedom.
The Council is the manager of parks and stadia. If we decide not to hire these venues out to different bodies with differing political ideas, the result will be that people are deprived of the freedom to express ideas, the right of assembly and the right to demonstrate. Whether we can allow expression of differing ideas is actually a test of democracy and the rule of law. Tolerance is the bedrock of the continuation of a free atmosphere and with that, the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong. I hope Members will give more thought to this. I hope you will support my motion. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
CHAIRMAN (in Cantonese):-Thank you. We now vote on Mr. Albert Lai's amended motion first. Will the Secretary count the votes please?
MR. KAM NAI-WAI (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, when I spoke just now, I asked for an open ballot.
CHAIRMAN (in Cantonese):-If you insist on an open ballot, in accordance with Section 24 of the Standing Orders, we need a Member to move a motion
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Page 197 of 654
654
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198
HONG KONG PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
MR. CHAN KWOK-LEUNG (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, truth speaks for itself. It will be willing to have a dialogue with Members. It is somewhat regrettable that the Council Chamber is rather quiet today. I would like to hear from you, Members of the DAB. You have disappointed me.
I remember that on the day we vetted the application by the Alliance for a venue to display the Pillar of Shame, Mr. Ip Kwok-chung said, 'The Pillar of Shame is a political work of art which should not be placed at one of the Council's venues. Please continue to give your reasons. Why haven't you spoken? I find it a pity indeed. I have always thought of the DAB as a pro. China body. I invite you to speak on behalf of Beijing and China. I thought
CHAIRMAN (in Cantonese):—Sorry, you drew into your speech political parties and personalities and you were far-fetched. We are talking about the criteria. for the hiring of venues, not films or the Pillar of Shame. So, please respond to points raised before. If you find certain points not right, you can criticize. But you don't have to pinpoint people's names. The Standing Orders have not ruled that every Member must speak.
MR. CHAN KWOK-LEUNG (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, I was just expressing the sentiment of disappointment.
Just now, Mr. LAI and Ms. CHOW said art should not be polluted and it should not be made a tool of political propaganda. Actually, by saying so, they are exercising political censorship. To express political ideas through the medium of art is the freedom of the artists. If we try to stop artists from expressing their political ideas, we are depriving them of their freedom.
The Council is the manager of parks and stadia. If we decide not to hire these venues out to different bodies with differing political ideas, the result will be that people are deprived of the freedom to express ideas, the right of assembly and the right to demonstrate. Whether we can allow expression of differing ideas is actually a test of democracy and the rule of law. Tolerance is the bedrock of the continuation of a free atmosphere and with that, the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong. I hope Members will give more thought to this. I hope you will support my motion. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
CHAIRMAN (in Cantonese):-Thank you. We now vote on Mr. Albert Lai's amended motion first. Will the Secretary count the votes please?
MR. KAM NAI-WAI (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, when I spoke just now, 1 asked for an open ballot.
CHAIRMAN (in Cantonese):-If you insist on an open ballot, in accordance with Section 24 of the Standing Orders, we need a Member to move a motion
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