Here We Go Again

Lam says tightening measures are in effect for two weeks

 

Today Hong Kong recorded 76 new coronavirus cases, less than yesterday's whopping 115, but in case you thought that meant the fourth wave has peaked, you are sorely mistaken.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor came out this afternoon flanked by four senior government officials to announce further tightening measures to prevent higher case numbers in the future.

Why do pools close but gyms stay open?

These include from Wednesday, restaurants only having two people per table, down from four, and open until 10pm instead of midnight; most of the 177,700 civil servants will be working from home; entertainment venues such as karaoke lounges, mahjong parlours, theme parks and gaming centres will be closed as well as swimming pools.

The last one is hard to understand when gyms remain open because Lam says people still need to exercise. Why is the government prejudiced against swimmers when no cases have been linked to them?

Meanwhile, government performance venues will remain open only for rehearsals and online streaming performances, while beauty parlours can stay open taking extra precautions, and gyms too, though they can only have a maximum of two people in a class so it seems there is no point in holding group classes.

Mahjong parlours will shut for a fortnight

This will be the new normal for two weeks, which will take us to a week before Christmas. The hospitality industry will be hoping the number of cases calms down significantly by then otherwise we'll all be moping during the Christmas holidays in our tiny flats with no where to go.

On the education front, parents have to shoulder teaching their children with school suspended for two weeks, basically until Christmas break. Kids can't even get extra help from tutorial schools -- they have to be shut for a fortnight as well.

Simon Wong, president of the Federation of Restaurants says these latest tightening measures are going to be the nail in the coffin for many eateries, and that the government should give financial support to the industry.

He said with tables limited to two people and restaurants having to close at 10pm meant a 60 percent drop in business. If the measures continue beyond two weeks, then Wong believes more restaurants will close; last month alone 2,300 shuttered.

Restaurants can only have two to a table

"The government has the responsibility to help us in this case," he said on RTHK today, adding business will drop from HK$11 billion to only HK$5 billion due to the latest measures.

However, at the press conference this afternoon, Lam said there would be no lifeline extended to the catering industry, that it had doled out enough subsidies. 

Maybe Lam is tired of dealing with beggars, or she's trying to save as much money as possible for her war chest-draining Lantau Tomorrow Vision project?

Either way the government doesn't seem to care at this point who stays alive and who doesn't. 

The days of doling out cash are gone...

HK's Chief Executive: All Work and No Play

Lam says she has no time to shop, but look at those Ferragamos

An English-language newspaper had an exclusive interview with Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor today and she discussed a wide variety of topics, from any regrets for the extradition bill (no), to the current pandemic and how the government can control it, to where she keeps her cash (in a drawer upstairs in Government House).

Lam keeps busy at Government House, working

She was also asked how she dealt with all the burdens of work -- how does she unwind everyday?

The answer is nothing.

"I do nothing except work," she said. "I don't even spend time talking to my husband these days. That is [the life of] a workaholic.

"Yes, because I devote every minute of my time to work. There is so much work to do in Hong Kong."

That's mainly because she is a micro manager and doesn't want to delegate, or perhaps doesn't trust others enough to hand assignments off to them?

Or maybe she wants the people of Hong Kong to think they have a leader who is spending every waking moment governing the city so they are getting their money's worth paying her over HK$400,000 a month.

And not even have time to speak to her husband Lam Siu-por? Sounds like she'd rather be married to her job than have frank conversations with her loved ones.

She says she has not time to talk to Lam Siu-por

When asked how the family is coping with the pressures she is under, Lam curtly replies: I can only say that my family is fully behind me. Other than that I don't want to go into details."

Tight-lipped is an understatement...

 

 

HK Govt Wants to Track Your Movements

Hong Kong only tested 1.78 million people in universal testing

 

Hong Kong recorded 84 new coronavirus cases today, and in the last few days there are stories trickling out about a freelance Chinese food writer who went to at least one tasting this week before testing positive, and a three-Michelin starred Italian restaurant having two staff who were also infected, and a hipster food hall in Central has another case.

While the government is mulling making residents download an app to scan QR codes wherever they go in a bid to make it easier to track down possible closer contacts, people may not comply because they have lost faith in Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor and her administration.

Scanning QR codes may become mandatory

Many businesses have already put up the QR code at their entrances, but I have yet to see anyone scan the code to check-in, and check-out. However it would be possible for the government to make scanning the QR code mandatory to enter the premises, much like temperature checks.

As for people who don't even own smartphones... what are they going to do?

Meanwhile the pro-establishment camp is anxious to reopen the border between Hong Kong and the mainland, which means aiming for the zero infection number Lam mentioned this past week in her policy address.

They are pushing for universal testing, but interesting that Lam disagrees, saying since it took two weeks to test 1.78 million people, then surely it would take four to five weeks to test the entire population, and the entire city would have to be in lockdown during that period.

"Hong Kong will have to pay a very heavy price," she said, adding her estimation had no scientific basis.

Lam says test high-risk groups like dance clubs

She is following the advice of infectious disease experts who have advocated testing high-risk groups, like the current dance club cluster, and senior government officials.

Lam also didn't want to push for universal testing, saying that the past year of anti-government protests triggered by the now-withdrawn extradition bill, had made her work to combat the pandemic even harder as some people had lost trust in the government.

Hmmm... now whose fault is that? She could have tried to address this very issue in her policy address but refused to even try to resolve the impasse with at least an independent inquiry into police brutality.

The chief executive seems to build herself up as a martyr. When I brought up her saying she was paid in cash and was just asking for a thief to rob her, a relative pointed out Lam was keen on making others take pity on her...

Hong Kong's Absurdities Continue

Private clubs, like China Club, have had guests test positive

Today there was a string of bad news, starting with 92 new coronavirus cases reported today. More restaurants and private clubs have been affected, which makes it harder for them to continue to do business when you're tagged as having a positive case in your place.

This fourth wave is very scary, surging faster than the third wave back in July. With Christmas less than a month away, one has to wonder if we'll all have to mark the birth of Jesus in complete lockdown...

Staff went on strike in February to shut borders

Meanwhile hospital staff who took part in a strike in February demanding the government shut the border between Hong Kong and the mainland because of the coronavirus, will have their pay deducted. 

The Hospital Authority says this will affect 7,000 doctors, nurses and other hospital workers who went off duty without authorization, and that there would be no further punishment apart from the salary deduction.

From February 3-7, hospital staff went on strike in a bid to force the government to close the border, believing this was the most effective way to stop the virus. At the time there were 15 cases in the city, and the government closed six of the 15 border checkpoints. with China, and did not allow those from Wuhan to come in.

Hospital Authority Chairman Henry Fan Hung-ling said the strike affected people's confidence in the public healthcare system and undermined the professional image of its workers.

As a result the authority received some 7,000 complaints and calls for help.

Imagine if Hong Kong had really shut down all its borders with China... 

Cheung (middle) took caller's questions on RTHK

In other news, the government continued to try to sell its policy address and Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung Kin-chung was on RTHK radio this morning to take callers' questions. 

One caller criticized the lack of opposition resulted in a lame-duck legislature with no electoral mandate.

Cheung's response? "We're not taking advantage of the so-called Legco vacuum -- the absence of the pan-democrats in Legco -- to push through difficult things. We're doing it for Hong Kong's long-term good."

Uh huh.

Things got more absurd today.

Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang Kwok-wai explained he dozed off on Wednesday while his boss Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor gave a two hour and 15 minute policy address because he was recently diagnosed with tonsillitis and had to take medicine for it, which made him drowsy.

"I've been feeling a bit unwell. But I don't think it's so serious that it has affected my work," he said. "If I try to bother the CE with even such a minor matter, I think she would be kept very busy."

Startling revelation by Lam today

And borderline outrageous was Lam telling the media in an interview that because of US sanctions against her, she cannot keep a bank account and so her salary is paid to her in cash.

"I am using cash everyday. I have piles of cash at home because the government is paying me cash for my salary because I don't have a bank account." 

By the way her salary is over HK$400,000 a month. That's a lot of HK$1,000 bills...

Does someone deliver it to her in a handcuffed suitcase?

And does she want someone to rob her?

But finally a small legal victory:

The Court of Final Appeal has ruled unanimously with former opposition lawmaker Leung Kwok-hung otherwise known as "Long Hair", that a prison requirement that male prisoners keep their hair short is sex discrimination. 

A big legal victory for "Long Hair"

The ruling ends a six-year legal battle Leung waged in the courts after his hair was cut short when he was sent to jail in 2014.

"The discrimination was so obvious," he said as he tossed his flowing mane that has since gotten greyer.

Chief Justice Geoffrey Ma Tao-li wrote the judgment, in part saying: "It is not readily apparent, and no explanation was provided by the [commissioner of correctional services], as to why this had any reasonable connection with custodial discipline."

Ma noted that the Correctional Services Department, which had argued it was only imposing a social norm, had failed to explain the basis of its claim that men always had shorter hair, an assumption he added gave rise to stereotyping. 

At the time Leung was jailed for four weeks for criminal damage and disorderly behaviour in June 2014, after an incident during a public forum in Tsim Sha Tsui in September 2011.

Let's see what tomorrow brings...

Liberal Studies to be Liberally Revamped

 

Secondary students will have revamped liberal studies next year

The Hong Kong government is trying to shape the education of the next generation, by not giving them the opportunity to freely analyze and assess current affairs in their hometown as well as China, as well as further develop their critical thinking skills.

Secretary for Education Kevin Yeung Yun-hung announced late this afternoon that the subject of liberal studies will get a new curriculum, new grading and even a new name. 

Yeung says the course will be renamed

He said all teaching materials would be vetted by the government, and the existing curriculum would be slashed in half "to reduce the pressure on students". The material will put more emphasis on the country's development, the Basic Law and rule of law.

Meanwhile how students will be assessed will be revamped from the original seven-grade scoring system to a pas or fail.

Also as part of the course, students must make a trip to the mainland, though there are no details yet on where, for how long, and what they are expected to get from the visit, let alone the cost.

Yeung claimed the name of the course had to be changed because liberal studies had a "negative stigma" associated with it.

"We observed over the years, there are a lot of... usually not so good connotations with the name. As we are now going to refine the subject, we are now trying to make the subject have a new start. We think it is more appropriate to have a new name," he said.

Right...

The curriculum will be vetted by government

Liberal studies was first talked about during the first chief executive Tung Chee-hwa's administration back in 2000, and was finally implemented nine years later.

It is currently compulsory for senior secondary students who want to go on to university. 

Originally the aim of liberal studies was to enable students to develop multiple perspectives on contemporary issues, help them to become independent thinkers and learn a range of skills, including critical thinking, problem solving and creativity.

But now the pro-Beijing camp, and ironically Tung himself, are highly critical of the course, saying it influenced students to participate in the 2014 umbrella movement that exercised civil disobedience, and then five years later the anti-government protests that later evolved into violence.

However, outgoing education sector lawmaker Ip Kin-yuen described the government's decision to overhaul the subject as "abrupt" and made out of "political considerations".

"I think they are trying to cut down the emphasis on the study of current issues and also the ideas of critical thinking, independent thinking would not be emphasized so much," Ip said.

Ip says the revamp is a political decision

He also pointed out the contradiction that the government wanted to lighten the students' workload and yet they had to make a trip to the mainland as part of the course.

"This is the time when the students are in their examination years, so their schedule for studying is already very intense, so how can the students spend a long time in a field trip in the mainland," Ip asked. "And also the teachers will have to do a lot of things to prepare for the trip... why are they adding the extra things?"

Whichever way the education secretary tries to spin it, everyone knows it is a political decision to get Hong Kong students to be more appreciative of the mainland. There is nothing wrong with learning more about China or even going there, but there also needs to be a healthy dose of skepticism which is an important element in learning in general.  

But no, the Hong Kong government, and by extension Beijing wants to nurture a new generation of compliant citizens and think this is the way to do it.

Good luck.

Lam's Policy Address was a Doozy

Lam makes her policy address and note the Chinese lapel pin

The long-awaited policy address by Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor was finally given, and clocked in at a very long two hours and 15 minutes, tying with her predecessor Leung Chun-ying. Lam read out some 30,000 words and claimed she had written the entire thing herself. 

She read out her speech to a Legislature Council that only made up of the pro-establishment lawmakers and two independents after four pan-democrat lawmakers were ousted and their 15 colleagues resigned in protest a few weeks ago.

Cheung gets hair crabs, Ip sees Tsang sleeping

Lam claimed to be pleased she could read out her speech in a peaceful chambers, as last year she received so much heckling that she retreated from Legco and gave a pre-recorded video address instead.

Maybe that's because some people in the room were busy doing other things -- like Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang Kwok-wai was caught dozing off as well as Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee. 

Meanwhile the portly Business and Professionals Alliance lawmaker Christopher Cheung Wah-fung received a message on his phone that his order of hairy crabs worth HK$9,600 was ready to be picked up and would he be paying by cheque or cash?

Then there was the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong's Vincent Cheng Wing-shun spending the time trying to twirl a pen on his hand, while New People's Party's Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee looked at pictures of Tsang sleeping on her Whatsapp.

Did Lam reprimand them for not paying attention to her piece de resistance?

What lawmakers did listening to Lam's speech

In any event, at least the media were glued to their screens watching the proceedings. 

Lam started the speech by saying the objective of the policy address was to "find a way out of the impasse" and restore people's confidence following the anti-government protests last year, and the current battle against the coronavirus pandemic, which has caused the economy to shrink by 6.1 percent.

The national security law enacted on June 30, Lam said, helped Hong Kong become peaceful again and restored stability in the city. But she said more needs to be done in educating people, particularly the youth about the law, and this will be a 10-year project launched by the Department of Justice. Lawmakers, judges and civil servants will have to pledge allegiance to the city and the Basic Law.

Reporters made note of Lam wearing a pin of the Chinese flag on her lapel, signalling things are becoming more mainlandized. Hong Kong will be dragged closer to the mainland with the Greater Bay Area as the priority, and the city together with Macau and Guangdong will become an economic powerhouse -- at least in theory.

Some 2,000 university graduates from Hong Kong who are willing to go work in the mainland will have their monthly salary of HK$18,000 (US$2,322) paid for by taxpayers. Will that actually tempt them to go to the dark side? Or will they worry they will be branded as traitors?

Is it realistic to invest in Zhuhai Airport?

Lam also said the Airport Authority Hong Kong will invest in more shares in Zhuhai Airport for domestic travel, but when looked at realistically, it is 90km away and there is currently no logistical connection between it and Hong Kong. 

To boost the economy in the short term, stamp duties on commercial real estate transactions will be suspended, but that perhaps will make the rich richer and the rest of us left further behind. Lam said with the GBA project, Hong Kong could act as a middleman between China and the rest of the world... hasn't it been doing that since the 1800s? And has Hong Kong been reduced to the role of facilitator and not a leading city in Asia? 

When it comes to fighting the pandemic, Lam says Hong Kong has ordered vaccines, but if there aren't enough, the mainland has earmarked some for us. However she had no further details on the manufacturer or how effective they were. How reassuring.

During her visit to Beijing she pitched the idea of opening the border with the mainland, but she was rebuffed because Hong Kong's case numbers are still high (this was before the current fourth wave). 

Hong Kong needs to reach zero infections

As a result, Lam says a community-wide testing program may need to happen again, and reiterated people need to be more careful about going out unnecessarily as she is pushing for zero infections. Lam later admitted in the press conference it may be impossible to get completely down to zero, but that it was something to aim for. Don't we all, Carrie?

Finally the chief executive talked about more housing, and that the government had identified 330 hectares of land to build 316,000 public housing units in the next 10 years. And she is still pushing her ambitious Lantau Tomorrow Vision of reclaiming 1,000 hectares of land to build more housing at the price tag of HK$624 billion. 

Critics not only say this drains at least half of the government coffers, but also the environmental damage will be irreparable. When asked again about it by the media, Lam shot back that only HK$550 million would be spent on a study, but in reality with no viable opposition, the project will go ahead eventually. 

So that in a nutshell is the policy address today.

But we really wonder if Christopher Cheung enjoyed his hairy crabs today.

 

Coronavirus Cases Continue to Surge

Carrie Lam with Sophia Chan announcing new restrictions

 

We can thank tai tais for the fourth wave of the coronavirus. There are over 180 cases linked to dance clubs, 21 place spread all over the city. Avid dancers don't just go to one location, and even the dancing companions will also move around the different clubs to dance with middle-aged women.

There are videos going around of these people dancing maskless and in very close proximity to each other which is shocking to see and one wonders why these people are not worried at all.

One dance cluster was at this Wan Chai club

Despite the surge in cases, the government has not ordered these dance clubs to close, and instead is forcing bars, pubs, night clubs, party rooms and saunas to close from Thursday for at least a week.

Meanwhile restaurants, including those in hotels, will be limited to only serving a maximum of 40 customers, as they will only be allowed to have 10 tables, with at most four diners per table. 

The bar industry was infuriated by the latest announcement, as the latest cases did not stem from bars and pubs, and yet it was being punished -- again.

"It's very unfair. We are in a very passive position, because no matter what we do... we have executed all the measures and also followed closely every single regulation, but we are still the one to blame," said Anthea Cheung, director of the Lan Kwai Fong Association.

Bars in Lan Kwai Fong will shut again

"We are getting ready for the promotion of Christmas. Maybe 50 percent of our outlets will close [down] because it's our high season where we get most of our revenue from."

Meanwhile gyms have escaped further restrictions this time around, though it could only be a matter of time before they are closed as well. 

In a bid to help make contact tracing easier, the government has developed the "Leave Home Safe" app, where people can "check-in" at over 10,000 establishments in the city by scanning a QR code when they go in, and then when they leave, they can register that they have left the premises. 

Not only does it track where people have been, but can also alert them if someone else tested positive was in the vicinity at the same time as the user.

People can track where they've been with an app

A reporter found some of the QR codes were easy to find, others were hidden in obscure areas of buildings. While the government says downloading the app and using it is voluntary, it kind of defeats the purpose if not everyone uses it...

However, if things get worse, the government may make using the app mandatory -- just like taking one's temperature before going in, scanning the code may be too.

In the meantime the government should really examine its restrictions and shut down dance clubs for now. 

As most of the patrons are tai tais, they have infected other posh locations, like the two clubhouses at the Happy Valley racetrack, Hong Kong Club, Ladies Recreation Club, and Hong Kong Cricket Club.

So much for staying away from the plebeians -- these tai tais have infected their members-only hangouts and will probably be socially shunned later.

Oh the horror!

As Covid Cases Spike, Three Activists Face Jail

In the fourth wave, source of many infections are dance clubs

 

Hong Kong recorded 73 new coronavirus cases today with 50 of them from a cluster of infections from dance clubs. These should not be mistaken with night clubs, but places where middle-aged people, mostly tai tais do the cha-cha, foxtrot and the rumba on the dance floor with men who are not their husbands. 

Hmmm! There's a video circulating on Twitter that shows everyone mask-less and in very close proximity to each other... there are already 70 preliminary positive cases for tomorrow...

Seven more dance clubs are impacted and anyone who has gone to any of these dance clubs must get tested... we will see many more cases in the next few days, yet again confirming the fourth wave is here.

Chow, Lam and Wong arrive at court today

While these cases got a lot of attention, three democracy activists pleaded guilty for their involvement in a 15-hour siege of Hong Kong police headquarters during the anti-government protests last year.

Originally Joshua Wong Chi-fung, 24, and Ivan Lam Long-yin, 26 were going to stand trial for their roles in the incident on June 21 last year, but yesterday they changed their minds to plead guilty after reviewing the prosecutor's evidence and consulting with legal counsel.

Agnes Chow Ting, 23, had originally pleaded guilty.

Wong pleaded guilty to organizing an unauthorized assembly and inciting others to take part in the event. Numerous clips were shown in court of him speaking through a loudspeaker outside police headquarters in Wan Chai, shouting that he hoped more people could join, and in another he declared the protesters had "completely besieged the police headquarters".

Wong at the June 21 protest with Chow (far right)

Lam pleaded guilty to a charge of incitement, while Chow had been charged with incitement and taking part in an unauthorized assembly.

As the barristers tried to plead lenience on their clients, Magistrate Wong Sze-lai refused, believing the incident could have escalated into violence.

In the case of Lam, which the barrister tried to ask for community service, Magistrate Wong immediately rejected this, saying the defendant already has four criminal records. 

The three were immediately remanded into custody until sentencing on December 2. 

As Wong was led out of the courtroom, he told supporters: "Hang in there everyone. Add oil!"

Before entering the court, Wong said the trio were prepared to face jail terms and hoped their plight would draw global attention.

Lam and Wong look up as they go into custody

"Under the continuing crackdown against the city's citizens, generations of youth [have gone] from protests to prisons to safeguard liberty for the place [in which] we were born," he said. "Neither prison bars nor election bans, nor any other arbitrary power will stop us from activism."

While Wong was defiant, Chow was worried. In her Facebook post on Sunday she wrote: "If sentenced, this will be my first time in prison. While I say I have mentally prepared for this, I am still a bit scared."

No Inquiry into Worst Martime Disaster in 40 Years

The Lamma IV filled with water and sank, killing 39 people

On the evening of October 1, 2012, colourful fireworks exploded in the sky above Victoria Harbour to celebrate National Day. 

But about half an hour before the pyrotechnics display, the night went horribly wrong, as 39 people lost their lives in the water, including eight children after two ships collided, making it the worst maritime disaster in Hong Kong in 40 years.

At around 8.20pm, a regular ferry that goes between Central and Lamma, called Sea Smooth, crashed into Lamma IV, a Hongkong Electric Company vessel that was on its way to Central to watch the fireworks following a tour of the power station on Lamma, thus many families were on board.

Victims' families want an inquiry into collision

The crash ruptured two water-tight compartments on Lamma IV, causing the ship to quickly fill with water and sink. More than 100 of the 121 passengers were thrown overboard without wearing life vests, while the Sea Smooth continued on its way to Lamma Island, with some of its passengers including the captain were injured. In total 92 people were injured from both ships.

There was criticism of the captain of the Sea Smooth for leaving the site of the accident and not offering to help rescue Lamma IV passengers; others say there were concerns the Sea Smooth should quickly make its way to Lamma out of fears it might sink. After being discharged from the hospital, the captain was emotionally unstable. 

The Sea Smooth captain was sentenced to eight years in prison for the deaths, while the Lamma IV captain was acquitted of manslaughter, but found guilty of endangering the safety of others at sea.

A commission of inquiry was submitted to the government in 2013, which found there were "serious systemic failings" with the Marine Department that added to the tragedy.

James To is pushing for the Coroner to reconsider

But now eight years later, the Coroner's Court has told families of the victims it will not investigate into the tragedy but did not disclose the reasons publicly.

James To Kun-sun, a Democratic Party lawmaker, has been assisting the families, said he was shocked by the coroner's decision.

"As the Lamma ferry crash was an unprecedented marine accident in Hong Kong... an inquest should be opened to give family members and the public the truth."

He said the inquest would let the public know about the details of investigations by the police and the Marine Department, which were carried out after the commission of inquiry. 

To added it was unfair for the victims' family members to lose the right of cross-examination, which would have helped pursue the truth behind the accident.

Eight children died in the disaster in 2012

"An inquest is the only opportunity for victims' relatives to receive relevant [investigation] documents, make cross-examinations and seek the truth," To said.

The families were dealt another blow when the Department of Justice said earlier this month it would no longer initiate prosecutions over the crash.

As a result the victims' relatives may file private prosecutions against those responsible for the crash.

It is strange the Coroner's Court is not pursuing an inquiry -- the public needs to know what happened in this disaster and to prevent it from happening again. Perhaps the Marine Department feels enough punishment was meted out at the time, with 17 of its officers found guilty of misconduct and disciplined by the Civil Service Bureau. 

But this was the worst maritime disaster since 1971 -- and involved eight children.  Surely it deserves a comprehensive inquiry?

The horrific collision led to many families registering their children to learn how to swim -- eight years on, is this still a skill in demand?

HK-Singapore Travel Bubble Postponed

Diehard travelers will have to wait another two weeks

 

Hong Kong recorded 43 new coronavirus cases today, 36 of which were local, seven imported, on the eve of the inaugural travel bubble between the city and Singapore.

While the threshold was not met, it was alarming enough to postpone the travel bubble for two weeks.

Travel bubble was to start tomorrow

Yesterday the trip was still going to go ahead, but with Hong Kong passengers being tested after they landed in Changi Airport. But then the high number of cases today made the start of the travel bubble untenable.

Those 200 people who had booked and paid for the flights had to jump through a lot of bureaucratic hoops, applying for a permit from Singapore, getting tested for the virus and recording the negative result.

Now that's all made null and void and they will have to do it all over again two weeks from now.

Is it all worth it? To Singapore?

Many Hongkongers don't care to go to the Lion City; they would rather go to Taiwan, Japan or even hop over to Macau for the weekend.

But for some reason the travel bubble is with Singapore first, and for those dying to travel somewhere, they're going to have to wait another two weeks longer.

Singaporeans are keen to go to Hong Kong

In the meantime Hong Kong needs to seriously clamp down on infections as quickly as possible, as there are already 60 preliminary positive cases for tomorrow, signalling the city is probably well into its fourth wave.

Many of the clusters seem to stem from dance clubs and party rooms.... did the government not know these kinds of places exist? It's quite shocking to see the numbers spike so quickly. Anyone who visited any of the 14 dance studios and clubs since November 1 will be forced to go for a mandatory test... but will people actually admit they went there and comply?

Infectious disease experts had been predicting the fourth wave, and last week with the number of cases quite low, it was hard to fathom the possibility, especially with practically everyone wearing masks.  

But alas Hong Kong is suddenly seeing large numbers of positive cases. What is going on?

Spate of Upper Respiratory Tract Infections Suspends Classes

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Vindication for Police Critics on Last Year's Protests

Riot police not wearing any kind of identification last year

A year after the dramatic siege at Polytechnic University that saw protesters rappel down to waiting motorcycles and cars, and a police officer shot in the leg by an arrow, today there was vindication for critics of the police in how they treated protesters during the months' long anti-government protests.

The High Court ruled that the system in dealing with complaints against the police is not adequate, and that officers' failure to display their identification numbers during last year's protests contravened the city's Bill of Rights.

The latter was a constant complaint especially during the latter half of the protests, when the public could not file complaints against the police because there was no identification number on their uniform, or there was only a vague indication of a unit.

Court of First Instance Judge Anderson Chow Ka-ming sided with the Hong Kong Journalists Association in its legal challenge against the government and the force. The court also ruled in favour of two other judicial review applications filed by four residents who took issue with the officers' failure to display their identification.

Complaints could not be filed without ID numbers

Chow found the Bill of Rights imposed a "positive obligation" on the government to maintain an independent mechanism capable of conducting "effective investigation" into complaints of suspected ill-treatment by police officers.

"The existing complaints mechanism involving the Complaints Against the Police Office, with oversight from the Independent Police Complaints Council, is inadequate to discharge this obligation," he said, adding the CAPO was operated under the police, and the IPCC lacked the necessary investigative powers.

Meanwhile Article 3 of the Bill of Rights states no one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

Chow wrote: "The rights protected by [Article 3 of the Bill of Rights] are absolute and non-derogable. This means that even in times of public emergencies, however serious, the rights under [Article 3] must still be respected by the government and protected by the courts."

This ruling demonstrates how the judiciary has a different view of the existing system compared to the government, as Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor has claimed it was capable of handling complaints due to the protests.

However, she ignored the advice of former chief justice Andrew Li Kwok-nang in setting up an independent inquiry looking into the protests, and instead insisted the IPCC's report would suffice, though it lacked the teeth to conduct a truly independent inquiry because it did not have the power to subpoena witnesses.

Chow also ruled the police commissioner's failure to maintain and effective system ensuring uniformed police officers deployed during the unrest displayed their identification numbers violated the Bill of Rights.

Lam felt the IPCC's report would be sufficient

As a result, the complaint system could not work because victims could not identify the officers in the cases of possible ill-treatment.

"An obvious measure that could and should be taken would be to require police officers each to wear and prominently display a unique identification number or mark when carrying out non-covert duties," he said.

Numerous court cases were filed last year by those who accused the police of ill-treatment, but could not file a complaint because they could not identify the officers involved.

The police force, Department of Justice, Security Bureau and the Chief Executive's Office are studying the judgment.

In court, lawyers for the government and police maintained both had complied with the law, and in an earlier written affirmation, Chief Inspector Kenneth Lee Yuet-lam told the court that riot officers were not required to display their numbers because of "obvious personal safety concerns". 

He was referring to concerns of doxxing, where a person's personal information is posted online and may lead to malicious intent.

While Chow understood the force's concerns about doxxing, he wrote: "However... such concern cannot of itself override the duty to maintain an adequate system to investigate suspected cases of breach of [the Bill of Rights]." 

Yeung says the police must respond to the ruling

The Hong Kong Journalists Association chairman Chris Yeung Kin-hang welcomed the court's ruling and called for an immediate response from the police.

"We hope the force will take immediate actions to rectify the situation, as revealing identities should be a basic requirement [for officers] so that the public, including journalists, can lodge a complaint against certain officers if they are unfairly treated," he said.

"I think the ruling gives a very clear instruction on what police should do, but honestly, it is beyond our control whether the force will take immediate action, as it is possible they will lodge an appeal."

There is a strong possibility the force will appeal... but the ruling based on the Bill of Rights is very compelling. Protesters will cherish this legal victory as vindication that their right were violated. 

It is a nudge in the right direction for civil society and rule of law, but how long will it last?

Police Drop Fine on Tackled Girl

12-year-old girl tackled by police in September in Mong Kok

 

Remember back on the evening of September 7 when a 12-year-old girl was tackled to the ground in Mong Kok when she went out to buy school supplies?

In the footage she looked nervous and ran from the officers, who then chased her and pinned her to the ground while there was a protest happening against the one year postponement of elections for the Legislative Council. 

She nervously flees the police who later tackle her

The girl and her brother were both fined for violating social-distancing rules. 

At the time Police Commissioner Chris Tang Ping-keung had claimed the girl acted "suspiciously" as she ran away from officers and that prompted the police to react and use "minimum force" to subdue her.

There was outrage at the police for being so rough with the girl, and now it seems the force may have realized its actions were overboard.

Today the police dropped the fine, though no explanation was given in the notice from the police.

However Civic Party councillor Andy Yu Tak-po said the U-turn showed the police had made a mistake.

Will Tang apologize to the girl about the incident?

He will help the girl and her brother to file a complaint against the police and demand an apology from the police chief.

Good luck getting the apology from Tang, but at least the police finally rescinded the fine that was outrageous. Nevertheless the psychological scars from the incident will probably remain.

Beijing Draws Red Line on Judiciary

Beijing plans reforms in judiciary, will it sustain the pressure?

 

In the past few months, Beijing has targeted the legislature, now with only two opposition lawmakers, and the media has been under pressure, with the likes of Apple Daily raided, its founder under investigation, and RTHK under pressure to conform to become the communications branch of the government.

Now the central government is focusing the judiciary, that reforms need to be made. This was outlined by Zhang Xiaoming, deputy director of the State Council's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, during the Basic Law 30th Anniversary Legal Summit.

Zhang says patriotism will be added to reforms

"People who love the country and Hong Kong will govern Hong Kong, and people who are anti-China and cause trouble in Hong Kong are out," he said. "This is a political rule under 'one country, two systems', and has become a legal requirement now."

Although Zhang called for the "one country, two systems" governing formula, under which Hong Kong is allowed a high degree of autonomy, to be implemented comprehensively and accurately, he also said the city's constitutional systems must be upgraded, and misconceptions replaced with the correct principles, such as patriotism.

"Hong Kong treasures core values such as democracy, freedom and human rights. But before that, we need to add the term 'patriotism'," he said. "While we must talk of seeking common ground and setting aside differences, we must also insist on bottom lines. The firmer we are on the bottom line, the bigger the room for political tolerance."

This means "Basic Law-related work" needed to be done, such as "oath optimization" and "qualification screening" for civil servants, national education, and judicial reform. He didn't elaborate, though one is curious what "oath optimization" means.

The Basic Law is being changed by Beijing

Under the new security law, civil servants must pledge allegiance to Hong Kong and the Basic Law. Zhang said these moves were aimed to correct "wrongful activities" and cover loopholes.

"Right now is the time to sort out what is true and what is false," Zhang said, adding that people who do not recognize the "motherland" or threaten the country's national security, do not fall in line with the Basic Law.

"Only those who are patriotic should be in place, otherwise they should be removed from the system," Zhang said.

Patriotism will extend to "all walks of life" eventually. It is similar to then US president George Bush's post 9/11 speech, "Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists."

Teresa Cheng and Carrie Lam at today's event

Is this something Hongkongers are prepared for, young and old, men, women, children, no matter what job you have, from a street cleaner to a tycoon?

If not, you will be removed from the system unless you remove yourself first.