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LCQ8: Closed Area Permits
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    Following is a question by the Hon Li Kwok-Ying and a written reply by the Secretary for Security, Mr Ambrose S K Lee, in the Legislative Council today (November 15):

Question:

     I have received complaints from Sha Tau Kok residents alleging that the Police no longer issue the Closed Area Permits (CAPs), for access to Chung Ying Street, to any persons who newly moved to live in Sha Tau Kok on or after April 20 of this year.  In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) whether the Police have, before implementing the above measure, consulted Heung Yee Kuk, the relevant rural committee(s) and District Council(s), as well as the residents in the Frontier Closed Area; if so, of the details of the consultation; if not, the reasons for that;

(b) of the Police's grounds for refusing to issue CAPs to Sha Tau Kok residents who have newly moved to live there; and

(c) whether it has reviewed if that measure will result in dividing Sha Tau Kok residents into classes and splitting the local community?


Reply:

Madam President,

     All persons who enter and exit the Frontier Closed Area have to possess valid closed area permits (CAPs). Against this, the Police will consider whether to issue CAPs to individuals on a case-by-case basis. For example, the CAP issued to a Ta Kwu Ling resident may only allow him to enter and exit the Ta Kwu Ling area.

     People can enter the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region via Chung Ying Street. However, Chung Ying Street is different from the other land boundary control points in that it does not have the full range of boundary control point facilities. Therefore, it is even more necessary for the Police to ascertain the relevant persons' actual need to access Chung Ying Street before issuing them with CAPs allowing access to the Street. In general, persons who need to maintain a traditional link with the local community at Chung Ying Street because of family or historical ties; who live or work at Chung Ying Street; or who visit relatives or friends living at Chung Ying Street etc are regarded as having a "need" to enter Chung Ying Street.

     The Police have processed CAP applications for accessing Chung Ying Street based on the above criteria and will consider whether to approve the applications having regard to the individual circumstances of each case. The purpose is to prevent criminals from making use of Chung Ying Street to conduct illegal activities.

Ends/Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Issued at HKT 15:24

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