Transcript of remarks by CS at media session
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Reporter: Mr Cheung, with several administrative measures taken to prevent the spread of virus during the city-wide test which is starting next week, why can’t the Government take the similar administrative measures to allow the LegCo election to happen as soon as possible and not delay for an entire year? Second question, there’s been a recent attempt by the Police to kind of change the narrative surrounding what happened on July 21 last year. In your opinion, was it really a stand-off between two groups of people who are evenly matched as mentioned by the Police, and what the authorities said, isn’t that kind of rubbing salt into the wounds of those injured in the incident?
Chief Secretary for Administration: On the first question, I think it would be wrong to link the upcoming Universal Community Testing Programme with the LegCo election which has been postponed because in terms of magnitude, scope, the number of people involved, it is of entirely different scale. Election involves a large number of people voting on the same day, and at the same time. We are talking about electioneering beforehand, plus the fact that people queuing at the voting centres, at the polling stations and all that. Now all these would not happen next week because we’re talking about a booking system. In other words, those who go to the testing centres will be controlled and regulated on a very systematic basis. And the scale of people gathering will be much, much smaller than an election. So I think it’ll be wrong in principle and in practice to compare the two.
The second question, in fact, the Commissioner of Police yesterday explained clearly. I have nothing further to add except the point that all the evidence must be presented in court. Any prosecution must be based on facts and evidence. So it’s entirely, really, up to the court to make a decision. I’m sure, given judicial independence in Hong Kong, there will be a fair trial.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Friday, August 28, 2020
Issued at HKT 18:12
Issued at HKT 18:12
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