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Following is the speech by Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology, Mr Joseph W P Wong, at Hong Kong Journalists Association 39th Anniversary Gala Dinner today (June 3):
Serenade, Chris, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
It is my honour and great pleasure to be here this evening, amongst journalists, friends and critics, who can be three different groups or who can be the same people.
When I learned that I was expected to say something on this occasion, I was in two minds: should I talk about a serious subject which may get me into trouble, or should I say a few jokes, which may get me into greater trouble?
I have finally decided that I will not talk about RTHK, which is a very serious subject; nor will I make any jokes, although the Obscene and Indecent Articles Ordinance does not cover verbal expressions.
I will start with a well known quotation from Thomas Jefferson in 1787, which is "Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter." Newspapers then have developed into various forms of news media today.
Many people say Hong Kong is a blessed place. Of the many good fortunes bestowed on us, we have one of the freest societies in the world. We have freedom of expression, freedom of the press, and we are free to live the way we want.
These freedoms did not leave us when Hong Kong became a Special Administrative Region of China in 1997. What is more, they have been enshrined in the Basic Law: Article 27 guarantees a free media and free expression, and Article 4 requires the HKSAR to safeguard the rights and freedoms of residents in accordance with law.
So this Government has a constitutional duty to protect freedom of the press, among other freedoms; and our independent judiciary ensures that no institution and nobody is above the law.
But quite apart from the legal consideration, I am convinced that freedom of speech and critical comments on every aspect of public administration provide the necessary checks and balances in a modern and civil society. On a practical note, as an international centre of finance, commerce and telecommunications, Hong Kong depends and thrives on split-second and unfiltered flow of information. Also, our vision for Hong Kong to become an innovative economy requires us to safeguard and indeed encourage our young people to think and speak freely on any subject; only then can they stretch their imagination and unleash their creativity.
This year marks the 10th Anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR. There are independent surveys in Hong Kong which track public perception of various freedoms before and after the handover. Let me just quickly quote some of these findings. According to surveys by the Public Opinion Programme of the University of Hong Kong, both freedom of speech and press freedom have improved since 1997. The rating stood at 7.17 for freedom of speech a month after the handover. It was 7.46 in January this year. The rating for press freedom was 7.02 in August 1997. It stood at 7.40 in January this year.
I know it is not easy to be a journalist these days; more so to be a Hong Kong journalist. You face tremendous pressures not just to meet deadlines, but also to find exclusive news, to sell papers or to improve ratings. Everyday, individual journalists have to resist the temptation to make compromises on the principles of professionalism, objectivity, accuracy and respect for privacy or to give them lower priority. This is a great challenge as Oscar Wilde said: "I can resist everything except temptation."
Again, this phenomenon is not something new or unique in Hong Kong. The same famous Thomas Jefferson, whose words I quoted at the beginning of my remarks, made an interesting comment 20 years later in 1807, exactly 200 years ago, and I quote "Nothing can now be believed which is seen in a newspaper. Truth itself becomes suspicious by being put into that polluted vehicle". I have not researched into the background and circumstances which led him say these words. But I am sure he was immune from criticisms in the press, fair or unfair.
Still, I have confidence in our Hong Kong media. Most join the profession out of a commitment to inform the public, to expose malpractice and injustice, and to make the society a better one. Another reason is that we have the largest number of newspapers for any place. Not only do they criticize the government, they also criticize one another; and in so doing, they offer the full spectrum of opinions and provide the necessary checks and balances.
I also have faith in the Hong Kong people, being one of them. They may enjoy gossips about celebrities and ridicules about Government officials. But they are also rational and practical; they see the difference between truths and untruths, and know if the Government or the media does something right or something wrong.
As I come to the end of my remarks, I recall another famous quotation, which is from Voltaire: "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it". I wish our journalists will tell me this: "I disapprove of what you say, but I will report it accurately." It is a small wish from a humble public servant.
Thank you.
Ends/Sunday, June 3, 2007
Issued at HKT 20:48
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