People Have Lost Trust In Hong Kong: Kwok Ka-ki

Civic Party lawmaker Kwok Ka-ki has accused Beijing of destroying people's trust in Hong Kong, as the central government moves to impose a national security law on the SAR.

Speaking on RTHK's Letter to Hong Kong, he said "One, Country, Two Systems" had now been nullified and this had resulted in a wave of emigration inquiries, a surge in applications for British National (Overseas) passports and an increasing number of vacancies in the Central business district. But he said what upset him most was how some people here had chosen to give away Hong Kong's freedom and rights.

"Beyond the mainland government’s infringement on our city’s founding principles, it is even more disappointing to see how local elites and government officials have turned their backs on Hong Kong people," he said.

"Members of the Executive Council and many prominent business owners voiced their support for the legislation. Perhaps fearing backlash from China, top executives from companies like HSBC have also stood by the draconian law."

Kwok said mainland authorities used national security to intimidate political opponents and suppress dissent.

"In mainland China, the national security legislation is commonly weaponised to oppress and silence critics of the government," he said.

"Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo and many other dissidents like Wang Quanzhang and Yu Wensheng have been charged with inciting subversion of state power. They were all jailed without proper and fair court proceedings. Liu Xiaobo died during his imprisonment and was never allowed to go to Norway to receive his Nobel Peace Prize. With the passing of the National Security Act, Hong Kong may follow the same dark path of political repression."

And Kwok accused the SAR government of already using intimidating language towards those who have opposed the bill.

"To intimidate voices of opposition, Chief Executive Carrie Lam has even called critics of the National Security Act “enemies of the people,” he said.

" Anyone who is publicly opposing the national security bill will very likely face prosecution and other consequences. Just this week, Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Erick Tsang said that critics of the legislation may be barred from running in the upcoming LegCo election."

Kwok said those who call Hong Kong home now have no choice but to stand firm and fight against, what he called, "this intrusion into our city’s autonomy."