Political situation
Written by: Wu Zhuoan
2021-04-28 17:17
Last update date: 2021-04-28 17:17
The Legislative Council today (28th) resumed the second and third readings of the Immigration (Amendment) Bill 2020. The ordinance stipulates that the Secretary for Security can make regulations to empower the Director of Immigration to instruct whether or not a certain means of transport is allowed or not. The practice of carrying a certain passenger or a certain crew member of the transportation vehicle has caused controversy, and it has even been described as the "Hong Kong Lockdown Ordinance", fearing that the government will prohibit Hong Kong people from leaving the country.
The Secretary for Security Li Jiachao emphasized that the regulations are only used to deal with torture claims, and that the provisions are only for arriving flights, not for departing flights, and will not affect the freedom of entry and exit of Hong Kong residents. At the same time, the government must enact subsidiary legislation. Only then can they use relevant powers on arrival flights, criticizing groups for distorting the regulations, inciting panic, and spreading rumors. The authorities have issued multiple statements condemning them.
The "Immigration (Amendment) Bill 2020" was finally passed with 39 votes in favor and 2 votes against the third reading. The passionate citizen Zheng Songtai and the medical profession Chen Peiran voted against it.
The government proposes to add section 6A to the Immigration Ordinance, requiring information or data on passengers or crew members to be provided to the Director of Immigration, and instructing a certain means of transport not to allow certain passengers, which aroused the concern of the Bar Association earlier.
(Photo by Yu Junliang/Data Picture)
The Pakatan Harapan Leung Mei Fen emphasized that the regulations only target false refugees and praised the government for acting decisively in dealing with false refugees in recent years, frankly saying what the government does, "the opponent" will definitely attack the government, describing this as a theorem, and describing those who oppose it as believing Just false refugees or the father of false refugees.
Regarding the ordinance empowering the Director of Immigration to instruct the transportation means not to transport certain passengers, the approach is to protect Hong Kong’s safety. The government has repeatedly clarified that it is not the "Hong Kong Lockdown Ordinance", describing some people as "reducing the truth 100 times" and referring to the establishment of a system. The faction has been desperate to interpret the regulations, and they are still being "constantly bad-mouthed." Fortunately, the "National Security Law" has been enacted, otherwise there will be people who will amend the regulations to cause a disturbance in the "Fleeing Offenders Ordinance 2.0".
The DAB Ge Peifan said that Hong Kong has been plagued by the problem of false refugees for many years. In recent years, it has affected the operation of the judiciary and emphasized the need to amend the legislation.
Ge Peifan criticized that some people used the regulations to create panic and discredit the Hong Kong government.
To some people, she described the regulations as the "Hong Kong Lockdown Ordinance." She described them as a way to re-implement the anti-amendment regulations for fear that the world will not be chaotic. She mentioned that the Stake Association has repeatedly said that the government described the regulations as "locking Hong Kong", and some trade unions criticized the regulations for vagueness. She criticized these people for using the regulations to create panic and incite hatred and anti-government sentiments.
Zheng Songtai: Refugee Concern Group Concerned about Communication in Designated Languages
Zheng Songtai, a passionate citizen who voted against it, pointed out that many refugee concern groups have reported to him and other members of the Council their views on the regulations.
Cheng Songtai stated that the bill stipulates: "If the immigration officer reasonably believes that a claimant can understand a certain language and can communicate in that language, the officer may instruct the claimant to communicate in that language." He gave an example: The petitioner can only read "Hi" and "Bye" in English, and the immigration officer used the regulations to instruct the petitioner to communicate in English, but in fact the petitioner does not understand English, and is worried that there will be a situation where the claimant will be "successful."
In addition, the Ordinance also proposes to amend the Weapons Ordinance and the Firearms and Ammunition Ordinance to authorize the Immigration Service to possess weapons, firearms and ammunition on behalf of the government.
Zheng Songtai pointed out that the relevant amendments mean that Immigration officers can use firearms in the detention center. He is worried about whether the government is preparing to send claimants into the detention center on a large scale, causing "indiscriminate arrest" in disguised form.
Regarding the revision of the regulations described as "locking Hong Kong", Zheng Songtai pointed out that the situation in Hong Kong should be understood according to common sense. If the government wants to prohibit Hong Kong people from leaving the country, the government can have various methods to achieve the purpose of prohibiting exit, such as seizing Hong Kong people’s assets and accusing them. "No fines paid" by exiting Hong Kong people, etc.
Li Jiachao emphasized that the amendments to the "Immigration Regulations" will only target arrival flights, not departure flights, and will not affect Hong Kong residents' freedom of entry and exit.
(Profile picture)
Li Jiachao emphasizes that it will not affect the freedom of entry and exit of Hong Kong residents
Li Jiachao criticized that Zheng Songtai, as a member of the Bills Committee, had listened to the government's explanation on the amendments, but failed to grasp the rationale, and said that he could not accept this.
Li Jiachao pointed out that the proposed amendment to the "language used for communication" clause was because the applicant insisted on communication in a very rare tribal language and expressed that he could not accept Zheng Songtai's views.
Li Jiachao emphasized that the provisions only apply to inbound flights, not to outbound flights, and will not affect Hong Kong residents' freedom of entry and exit. At the same time, the government must enact subsidiary legislation to use relevant powers on inbound flights. He criticized groups that distort the regulations. Inciting panic and spreading rumors, the authorities have repeatedly issued statements condemning it.
The Legislative Council will resume the second reading of the Immigration Bill
The Security Bureau condemns online media for publishing false articles and reiterates that amending immigration regulations will not affect citizens leaving Hong Kong
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Immigration Security Bureau