National Security
My friend Alex would have liked very much the turn of events in the week his body went up in smoke when the CPPCC and the NPC met to introduce national security laws for Hong Kong to take care of those who are intent to commit treasonable and terrorism offences that would at the same time compromise the stability and prosperity of Hong Kong.
He was at lunch with me and my brother in 2003 after the march against the move to enact legislation in Hong Kong under Article 23 of the Basic Law. He had well-reasoned and definitive views on the issue which I would not rehash here. Suffice it to say that it was his view and wish that Article 23 legislation was necessary and essential and which I happen to agree.
It had been a week or ten days of politics of nauseating proportions, beginning with the Examination Authority putting out history questions on the merits of the Japanese invasions of China from 1900 to 1945. Come to think of it, one can perhaps argue along the vein of those question setters that the riotous, destructive and irrational activities of the black shirts and the ridiculous and senseless pan democrats are a boon to Hong Kong’s continuing stability and prosperity in having precipitated the ultimate action of the CPPCC and NPC to introduce and eventually enact national security laws that would return peace and safety in the streets of Hong Kong.
National security laws are an essential feature of every country; and it is unthinkable that an international financial centre such as Hong Kong does not have them in place. Hong Kong had such laws and a political division to enforce them before 1997. Anyone who engaged in political activities against British interest would be either locked up or deported with or without trials and unbeknown to the almighty media at the time. America has so many laws on national security at federal, state or city levels that the average citizen will never be able to find out or defend his or her rights, but that is a question that would never be posed except by the state. Then again, America is perhaps the only country in the world that has routinely, successfully and continuingly betrayed all its allies and is thanked for doing that. We live in a crazy world indeed.
Back to Hong Kong, for almost a year, the average law abiding citizen has lived in fear and uncertainties under terror organized and perpetrated by the black shirts and masked rioters. They had to adjust their lives and activities to suit the programmes of these law breakers. Countless meetings and activities were cancelled or rescheduled, including weddings, Annual General Meetings, and centennial anniversaries of my own alumni. The government had been unable to handle the violence and the lawbreakers effectively and quickly. Suddenly, we hear the introduction of these laws which would create offences for such activities. It is the dawn of a new era; and it will be like a new lease of life is being bestowed on Hong Kong. New businesses will come to Hong Kong because of the stability the new legal framework would engender. There would be ups and downs in the short term and the faint hearted will leave, but the light at the end of the tunnel will beckon and will lead us to renewed prosperity and stability.
Already, Patten has lined up a host of supporters, 200 plus was the last count, to speak against the initiatives by CPPCC. Well, Patten is simply lining up materials for the next edition of his Confession; and his crowd of clowns are simply assisting him to boost its sale.
To those people who have any shadow of doubt on the need for the national security laws for Hong Kong to be introduced and who fear that they would be caught by the new laws, I urge them to look themselves in the mirror and let me know what they see – a terrorist or secessionist. I urge them to leave and settle in a place that they can afford or that would receive them with open arms. Hong Kong does not need these people and would be the better without them.
We have just received the Cu-masks in the post. They are of two sizes, female and male sizes and both are good. I hope to talk to you again shortly.
