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Sunday, June 7, 2020

Amercan CIA destabilizes other countries, plot backfires!

Still the beacon of human rights? 

Left vs right: intensified social confrontation in the US


Conflicts between the left-wing and right-wing activists in the US have intensified in recent years. Expert warned that the two ideologies could undoubtedly intensify social confrontation amid pandemic, riots the 2020 US presidential election.

https://youtu.be/SXlMUXW7A1M

Protesters hold up their phones during a demonstration over the death of George Floyd, outside the White House on Wednesday in Washington, DC. Photo: AFP

Washington Post published an article on Wednesday titled "CIA veterans who monitored crackdowns abroad see troubling parallels in Trump's handling of protests", in which current and former US intelligence officials pointed out the similarity between the events in the US and the signs of decline or democratic regression they were trained to detect in other nations. Likewise, former CIA officer Marc Polymeropoulos tweeted on Tuesday that "It reminded me of what I reported on for years in the third world."

In many cases, the so-called democratic regression in other nations and the third world was caused by the US intervention. Again, the US has shot itself in the foot.

The spreading unrest in the US shows that the US political system is not immune to social instability. Many people are using the hashtag #AmericanSpring on Twitter, comparing the social movement Arab Spring with the violent protests triggered by the death of George Floyd.

Some have also raised the question: Is a color revolution taking place in the US?

The US government manipulated color revolutions in some Central Asian and Eastern European countries from the 1980s. It has also tried to provoke color revolutions in many more places, including China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Washington has created instability in and around many countries it considers geopolitical opponents.

Under the disguise of protecting democracy, liberty and human rights, the US government aims at subverting opponents and shaping international environment in favor of US strategic interests. The subversion plots, often carried out by CIA, left many countries struggling in a chaotic situation for a long period of time.

And now, the US' wanton destruction of social order in other countries has backfired and put itself in a moral dilemma.

Facing unabated protests, American political elites are now debating how to put the spreading chaos to an end, whether the police should get tough and whether troops should be deployed to stabilize the situation.

The importance of maintaining order and stability is laid bare as Washington is struggling to deal with the angry masses. The chaos in the US shows that simply shouting slogans of democracy and freedom will never work.

By trying to manipulate other countries' affairs, Washington is harming others as well as itself. As the US still provokes instability worldwide, other countries need to insist that the US should not meddle in their internal affairs.

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US protests expose a 'failed state'


A firecracker thrown by protesters explodes under police one block from the White House on Saturday local time in Washington DC during a demonstration against police brutality in the death of George Floyd, an unarmed 46-year-old African-American man who died on May 25 evening in Minneapolis, Minnesota, after a police officer kneeled on his neck for several minutes. Clashes broke out and major cities imposed curfews as the US began another night of unrest Sunday with demonstrators ignoring warnings from President Donald Trump that his government would stop violent

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Tens of thousands of peaceful protesters rallied for racial justice Saturday in cities across the United States following the death of George Floyd, as the movement triggered by his killing at police hands entered a second weekend.


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Human Rights Watch (HRW) criticism and report of China are a lie, reflect Western elites’ hypocrisy, anti China-rise !


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Friday, June 5, 2020

Malaysia announces RM35b Penjana plan for economic regeneration

PM unveils short-term economic recovery package https://youtu.be/fwoFzzuaRNo

https://youtu.be/1ZKFzQP5_0o

Perutusan Khas: Pelan Pemulihan Ekonomi Jangka Pendek (5 Jun 2020)


https://youtu.be/9evJFXr_Z7Y

Saving jobs, rebooting the economy

Subsidies, tax exemptions among measures amid pandemic


Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced a RM35bil allocation for 40 initiatives to empower the people, propel businesses and stimulate the economy in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. From saving lives to saving jobs, and ensuring that we, as a nation, bounce back.

PUTRAJAYA: The economic recovery plan that is meant to empower the people, propel businesses and stimulate the economy, actually addresses the most fundamental of the rakyat’s concerns: possible unemployment and the loss of income. 


Of the RM35bil allocated for 40 initiatives, RM9bil has been set aside to aid three million workers via various schemes.

Announcing this, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the plan, known as Penjana, is one of the six strategies to tackle the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said RM10bil of that RM35bil allocation would come via a direct fiscal injection by the government.

The Prime Minister said he is aware that people are worried about losing their jobs and source of income following the closure of many economic sectors and activities during the movement control order (MCO) period.

“I understand that it will take some time for the economy to recover and that there are those in the community who still need help during the recovery period,” he said in a special address that was broadcast live.

Among incentives he announced were the extension of the wage subsidy programme for another three months, as well as an employment incentive programme and apprentice programme.

These are in addition to a host of training and upskilling programmes, including those for youth and the unemployed.

Muhyiddin also announced tax exemptions and insurance protection for employers, to encourage more companies, especially small and medium enterprises, to adopt work-from-home policies.

“I do understand your need to use public transport for work and other activities. To lessen the burden on transportation costs, the government will introduce the MY30 programme,” he said.

This particular initiative would allow consumers to have unlimited rides on public transport under Prasarana around the Klang Valley for RM30 a month, from June 15 until the end of the year.

Muhyiddin also said that Penjana will announce a few investment packages, programmes, tax exemptions, and finance facilities to attract more investments.

He pointed out that the Covid-19 pandemic has changed how economies operate.

“For Malaysia to remain an important investment destination, we need to tell the world we are competitive and open for business,” he said.

The Prime Minister also announced that a sukuk worth RM500mil would be raised in the third quarter of the year.

Themed “from the rakyat, to the rakyat”, the funds from the sukuk would be channelled to help finance micro-enterprises and businesses, especially those run by women.

“It will also be used to improve Internet broadband coverage at schools, especially in rural areas, and as grants for research work on communicable diseases,” he said.

EMPLOYMENT

> RM9bil to benefit three million workers to curb unemployment.

> Three months’ extension for Wage Subsidy Programme.

> RM600 monthly incentive for apprenticeships for school leavers and graduates for up to six months.

> RM800 monthly incentive for hiring unemployed person below age 40 for up to six months.

> RM1,000 monthly incentive for hiring unemployed person above age 40 for up to six months. > RM4,000 training allowance for those retrenched but not covered under the Employment Insurance System.

DIGITAL

>1GB free Internet per day for learning and productivity activities until December.

> RM50 in e-wallet credits for adult Malaysians earning less than RM100,000 annually.

> Up to RM5,000 personal income tax exemption for employees who receive handphone, notebook and tablet from employer, effective July 1.

> Up to RM2,500 personal income tax relief on the purchase of handphone, notebook and tablet, effective June 1.

BUSINESSES

>50% remission of penalty for late payment of Sales and Service Tax payable from July 1 to Sept 30.

> Tax deduction for employers who implement flexible work arrangements, effective July 1.

> Tax incentives for Covid-19-related expenses for companies. > Investment fund to drive digitalisation of businesses.

TOURISM

> RM1bil tourism financing scheme to assist tourism sector.

> Personal income tax relief of up to RM1,000 on local travel expenses extended to Dec 31, 2021.

> Tourism tax exemption from July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021.

> Extension of service tax exemption for hotels to June 30, 2021.

CHILDCARE

> Up to RM3,000 income tax relief for parents on childcare services expenses.

> One-off grant of up to RM5,000 per childcare centre registered with the government.

> E-vouchers worth RM800 per household for mobile childcare services.

HOUSING


> Home Ownership Campaign to be reintroduced, with stamp duty exempted for the purchase of residential homes priced between RM300,000 and RM2.5mil.

> Exemption of Real Property Gains Tax for disposal of residential homes until Dec 31, 2021.

SMEs

> RM700mil to assist and incentivise SMEs to digitalise operations.

> Banking sector offers RM2bil to assist SMEs with a threshold of RM500,000 per SME.

> RM400mil to help fund micro-enterprises.

CARS

> 100% tax exemption on purchase of locally assembled passenger cars from June 15 until Dec 31.

> 50% tax exemption for imported passenger cars from June 15 to Dec 31.

PM: Govt targets SMEs and mid-tier firms in short-term economic recovery package

In his special address on Friday, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin introduced “PENJANA” or the National Economic Recovery Plan, the latest initiative by his administration, targeting small-and-medium and mid-tier enterprises as well.

The plan, dubbed as a short-term stimulus package, is to help the nation’s economy recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Among the initiatives are:

- Banking sector allocates RM2bil to assists SMEs with a threshold of RM500,000 per SME

- RM400mil to fund Penjana microcredit by Tekun and Bank Simpanan Nasional with RM50mil allocated especially for female entrepreneurs

- RM600mil to drive the process of digitalisation of businesses and innovation. A matching fund will be matched by local and international investors

- RM1bil for the tourism industry
People watch the live telecast of Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin giving his speech, June 5, 2020. ― Picture by Miera Zulyana
People watch the live telecast of Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin giving his speech, June 5, 2020. ― Picture by Miera Zulyana

KUALA LUMPUR, June 5 ― The federal government is introducing an economic recovery plan dubbed Penjana that will put RM35 billion into the Malaysian economy via various initiatives and direct benefits.

Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the plan was necessary as Malaysia, along with the rest of the world, was about to face the worst economic conditions since The Great Depression due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Of the sum announced, the PM said RM10 billion would be direct fiscal injections from the government.

“We are introducing the new plan to restart the economy which we are calling Penjana.

“It will benefit up to three million workers who have lost their jobs and income during the Covid-19 pandemic,” Muhyiddin said during his special address today.




Read more:Building the Economy Together
https://penjana.treasury.gov.my/index-en.html


Malaysia's Schools gear up for new normal

Dormitories

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2020/06/05/schools-gear-up-for-new-normal?jwsource=cl

Temperature screening before entering the school compound and eating in the classroom during recess time are among new normal practices that students need to adapt to when schools reopen.

Education Minister Dr Mohd Radzi Md Jidin said the guidelines stipulated that teachers would have to carry out body temperature checks when the students entered the school compound and if they showed any symptoms, then further action would be taken.

“We are also aware that some students walk or cycle to school and the temperature would be slightly above 37.5ºC ... so these students will be asked to rest first to ensure that their body temperature returns to normal before it is checked again.

“Each school will have an isolation room. If the student shows any symptoms, they will be brought here and the school, besides contacting the parents, will also contact the nearest health centre for further action,” he said after a visit to see the preparations for schools reopening at SMK Engku Husain, Semenyih here recently.

Also present were Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, National Security Council (MKN) director-general Mohd Rabin Basir and Education director-general Dr Habibah Abdul Rahim.

The new normal practices are among the Education Ministry’s school reopening management guidelines to be distributed to schools.

The 34-page detailed guidelines were developed in collaboration with the Health Ministry and MKN.

Meanwhile, Radzi said parents did not have to worry about physical distancing during school recess as the children would only be allowed at the canteen area in stages and they would eat their meals in the classroom.

“Students who need to buy packed foods will be queuing with a one-meter gap between one person and another before returning to their classroom to eat.

“Hence, the situation at the canteen will be in an orderly manner and the parents don’t have to worry about the kids jostling to buy food as recess time will be carried out in stages to ensure that not all students would gather at the canteen at any one time,” he said.

In order to maintain physical distancing, he said the tables in the classroom must have a one-metre gap and the surplus students would be placed in another class.

Radzi added that school laboratories would also share similar settings to ensure learning would be carried out in an orderly and safe manner.

Commenting on the movement of students within the compound, he said the direction of the students would be marked with arrows to avoid crowding.

He said the guidelines also emphasised on teachers’ well-being, safety and health.

He said teachers did not have to worry about being placed in a cramped teachers’ room as physical distancing applied there too.

The ministry has issued similar guidelines for students in dormitories where their beds would be spaced one metre apart and the dining hall would emphasise on physical distancing, he said.

Radzi said once schools reopen, the ministry would see how the guidelines were being implemented and if there was room for improvement. — Bernama

 Source link


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Putrajaya issues guidelines on contactless learning, and


other Covid-19 prevention measures for schools

... https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2020/06/05/putrajaya-issues-guidelines-on-contactless-learning-other-covid-19-preventi/1872732



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Wednesday, June 3, 2020

Covid-19 CMCO: daycare centres SOP. One-off grant of RM5,000 for childcare centres

Childcare centre operators are advised to refer to the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry and Social Welfare Department’s websites for information on the updated SOPs. — Bernama pic
  
CMCO: Updated SOPs for daycare centres tabled yesterday, says Ismail Sabri


PUTRAJAYA, June 2 — The government will update the standard operating procedures (SOP) for childcare centres, thereby enabling the vast majority to resume their activities.

Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry tabled the updated SOPs earlier today during the ministerial meeting on implementing the conditional movement control order (MCO)

“Before this, 304 out of 7,000 childcare centres nationwide were allowed to operate per the government’s SOPs. The update will enable the remaining 6,696 centres to operate immediately,” he said during his daily press briefing.

Childcare centre operators are advised to refer to the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry and Social Welfare Department’s websites for further information.

Ismail Sabri added the SOPs for pre-schools and kindergartens will be finalised by the Education Ministry before they are allowed to resume operations, as their management falls under the purview of several other ministries.

As of yesterday, the Housing and Local Government Ministry has conducted 7,426 public sanitation operations in 132 zones since efforts began on March 30.

Approximately 10,956 premises have been sanitised, including 2,642 business centres, 4,056 government buildings, 1,581 housing areas including public housing, 2,325 public areas, and 352 supermarkets.

Yesterday alone saw 47 sanitation operations conducted covering 31 zones in 10 states, including 14 in Sabah, and seven in Johor and Melaka.

As of 8am today, 185 Covid-19 quarantine centres are in operation compared to 186 the day before. Currently 14,365 individuals are undergoing mandatory quarantine.

Approximately 168 Malaysians were brought back yesterday from Thailand, Singapore, China, Australia and the Netherlands, and placed in quarantine.

Since April 3, 48,773 Malaysians have been brought back from abroad and quarantined, with 38,021 individuals having since completed their mandatory 14-day quarantine period and allowed to return home.

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RM5,000 allocation to help nurseries carry out new healthcare SOP


 
Welcome help: the government subsidy will allow childcare centres to carry out daily sanitisation and cleaning activities so parents are more comfortable with the idea of bringing their children back to the centres.

The childcare subsidy in the Pelan Jana Semula Ekonomi Negara (Penjana) will help support working parents and nurseries in adapting to the new normal.

Association of Registered Childcare Providers Malaysia president Anisa Ahmad said the one-off grant of up to RM5,000 per registered childcare centre (taska) would help them carry out important new healthcare standard operating procedure (SOP).

“The grant will help a taska carry out daily sanitisation and cleaning activities, making parents more comfortable in sending their children to nurseries due to the enhanced safety procedure.

“Many parents were asking for taska to open up but when we reopened recently, not many children were sent there.

“Parents are still wary of Covid-19 but it’s also expensive for us to operate and pay rental and staff salaries if we are unable to collect enough monthly fees.

“So we hope that the new initiatives will restore their confidence and encourage parents to send their children to nurseries again, ” said Anisa yesterday.

The fact that early childhood education was given a mention by the Prime Minister in his short-term economic revival package and included in Penjana was “very refreshing”, she added.

The government is providing incentives to train new practitioners for childcare and early education courses under the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry.

“We understand that it is an incentive of RM900 for the Permata programme and we’re happy that early childhood education was given a focus, ” Anisa said.

On the RM800 e-vouchers per household for mobile childcare services, Anisa said: “As far as I know, online childcare services are not licensed or certified by the Welfare Department. More clarity is needed on this.”

About 8,000 childcare centres, 5,000 households and an estimated 10,000 new early education practitioners will benefit from the government’s childcare subsidy programme.

Parents like Sheikh Rahim, 30, welcomed the increase in income tax relief for parents on childcare services expenses from RM2,000 to RM3,000 for the year assessment of 2020 and 2021.

“It’s a relief especially since we are halfway through the year and taska usually ends by November, ” said the executive at a travel company.

Asked if he would be confident enough to send his three-year-old child back to taska soon, Sheikh said this would depend on the compliance of the operator.

Nurhidayah Rahman, 27, who is eight months pregnant and looking to continue working after her maternity leave, gave the thumbs up to the increase in income tax relief.

“Monthly expenses for taska in Kuala Lumpur range between RM1,000 for basic and RM1,800 for more upscale care.

“So any offset is welcomed as it puts more money into the pocket of parents but the government will also have to play its role by having stringent approval for nurseries, ” she said.


Read more: 
 


Parents to play bigger role under new SOP | The Star




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https://youtu.be/9evJFXr_Z7Y PM: Govt targets SMEs and mid-tier firms in short-term economic recovery package In his special address..



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Saturday, May 30, 2020

HK security laws legislation ‘justified’

 EVERY NATION ON EARTH, UNLESS A FAILED STATE HAS LAWS PTOTECTING NATIONAL SECURITY


https://youtu.be/fHRs8X2spIY

https://youtu.be/UBqL1V4Fa6g

https://youtu.be/3nemAeeaef4

https://youtu.be/nhRoRuPyeDw

Editor’s note: The following is the full content of the retired judge’s open letter expressing his views on the proposed national security legislation for Hong Kong.IN Hong Kong there is a set of laws, inherited from the colonial government, dealing in a haphazard way with some of the complex issues involving national security. These can be found in Part I of the Crimes Ordinance, the Societies Ordinance and the Official Secrets Ordinance.

No one pretends that these laws are anywhere near adequate to deal with the complicated matters of today. This problem was recognised by the drafters of the Basic Law: Hence Article 23. This required the Hong Kong SAR government, upon being established on July 1, 1997, to enact laws to prohibit treason, secession, sedition, subversion, prohibition of foreign entities forming political alliances with entities in Hong Kong.

An attempt was made by the colonial government, shortly before the handover, to ease the task of the future SAR government by upgrading the national security laws. This failed to win support in the Legislative Council.

The matter was revived in 2002 when, in September of that year, the government issued a consultation document on proposals to implement Article 23. It made a strong case for implementation. At paragraph 1.4 it said

“All countries round the world have express provisions on their statute books to prevent and punish crimes which endanger the sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of the state. Therefore, while nationals of a state enjoy the privilege of protection provided by it on the one hand, the individual citizens have a reciprocal obligation to protect the state by not committing criminal acts which threaten the existence of the state, and to support legislation which prohibits such acts on the other hand.”

The proposals took into account the whole range of constitutional guarantees of personal freedoms: speech, expression, the press; and freedom from arbitrary arrest, invasion of the home, etc;
As regards the crime of treason, the then-solicitor-general explained:

“The proposed new offence of treason will be narrower than the existing offence. It will therefore impose no new restrictions on freedom of speech. The only situation in which words could amount to treason under the proposals would be when the words instigate a foreigner to invade the PRC or assist a public enemy at war with the PRC. For example, if the PRC is at war with a foreign country and a Hong Kong resident broadcasts propaganda for the enemy.

What should have happened following the publication of the consultation paper was mature debate within the community, for the consultation document was not something that could have been absorbed fully at one glance. Regrettably, leaders in the community who claimed to represent the people adopted an ideological stance, claiming the proposal as an attack on Hong Kong’s autonomy. This was taken up by some of the popular newspapers. The thinking people in the community were given no space for mature reflection. A mass protest rally was organised. Young and old took to the streets. The result was that the National Security (Legislative Provisions) Bill, introduced in LegCo in February 2003, was withdrawn, leaving the ramshackle colonial laws as defence against attacks on national security.

As things stood globally at that time, the world was in relative peace. The Iraq invasion had not yet taken place. The constitutional need in Hong Kong to implement Article 23 was held in abeyance, through two successive changes in the post of chief executive.

The world scene has since totally changed. The tension between nations has vastly increased, with the threat of trade war, cyber war possibly escalating into open conflict. The clash of navies in the South China Sea is regarded as a real possibility.

In these circumstances the need to upgrade and improve upon national security laws seems a matter of common sense.

And herein lies the crux of the problem facing Hong Kong today, which has attracted, once again, worldwide attention. And, as usual, the media has immediately danced to the tune of sound bytes, not having the time to study the issues in depth: answering to the exigencies of the daily-news cycle. Who, reporting on the issues of today, has read the government’s consultation document of September 2002?

The truth is this. Since October last year, the Hong Kong legislature has been dysfunctional. Except for matters of finance, it has ceased to operate as a legislature. An incident in the LegCo chamber on May 18 says it all: councillors brawling like children in a playground, a photo flashed worldwide showing a member screaming and kicking being forcibly removed from the council chamber. Have those reporting on the incident reflected on its deeper significance, beyond a shameful episode in a troubled land?

What it means is this: No law can be passed in Hong Kong. In the meanwhile, internal security has worsened, with increasing evidence of terrorist activities aimed at bringing the Hong Kong police to its knees and overthrowing the government.

The anti-government movement seems well-funded and this raises the question as to the source of the funds. Since October last year a state of grave public danger has existed and been recognised as such by the government. A threat of this nature to Hong Kong – a region of China – clearly constitutes a national security threat.

As Tung Chee-hwa, former chief executive, said on May 25: As Hong Kong had failed to enact its own security legislation for over 20 years, it has become an easy target for hostile foreign opportunists to disrupt public order, using Hong Kong in effect as a proxy for a wider power conflict.

What then should a national government do, seeing that the regional government has, in effect, become powerless?

The answer is the proposal before the National Peoples’ Congress: to enact by promulgation laws for the protection of Hong Kong and of the nation.

The draft decision emphasises the cardinal policies that lie behind the proposal: “one country, two systems”; Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong; and high degree of autonomy for the special administrative region.

When passed, the laws will be enforced by the Hong Kong courts exercising jurisdiction under the common law system – a system based upon the presumption of innocence, and proof of guilt beyond reasonable doubt. Allied with this are the rules which emphasise that prejudicial evidence not directly relevant to guilt must be excluded.

The explanatory document issued by the vice-chairman of the NPCSC contains a warning which the legal profession and the judiciary in Hong Kong should heed: “Efforts must be made at the state-level to establish and improve the legal system and enforcement mechanism of the HKSAR”.

At the regional level – Hong Kong’s level – enforcement mechanism has, for all the world to see, also broken down. Unrest and street violence have been going on for nearly one year – dampened to an extent by the overriding crisis caused by Covid-19. Very serious crimes have been committed. The health crisis did not erupt until March this year. Before then the courts were capable of functioning normally. Yet only a handful of persons arrested had been convicted, and none for crimes like attempted murder, grievous bodily harm, arson, criminal damage to transport infrastructure.

Bully tactics have been deployed. Families of police officers threatened. Businesses deemed “pro-Beijing” vandalised. People have been cowed into silence. And when people see that lawyers as a whole seem sympathetic to the rioters they get confused. Wherein lies the true values of the Hong Kong community?The common law lies at the heart of the “one country, two systems” policy, and is the foundation for Hong Kong’s success as a global financial centre. There is no reason why such policy should not go beyond 2047 if it harmonises with the broader national interests.

Hence it is very much in the interests of young lawyers to truly support that policy, to work towards the success of that policy: They will be at the high noon of their professional lives in 2047. And the duty of the older lawyers, the leaders of their profession, is to cultivate a climate conducive to their juniors’ success. But is this what they are doing in fact?

Clearly radical changes at all levels are called for, no less than in the judiciary. The starting point is surely to internalise this key concept that Hong Kong is a mere region of China. A small dot on the map of China; 7.4 million people in a population of 1.4 billion. Nothing more. To make it more, greater, more influential in the world, it requires nurturing in an authentic way.

It is beyond the scope of this paper to go into aspects of reform necessary to “improve the legal system and enforcement mechanism of the HKSAR”, in the words of the vice-chairman of the NPCSC. But those words must surely sound as a wake-up call for the legal profession and the judiciary.

The author is a former Court of Final Appeal judge, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. — China Daily/ANNb

The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

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