President's message – Power of the People

Over 500,000 marchers filled paths of nearly three miles through Victoria Park and canyon of skyscrapers on 1^st July 2003 mainly to protest a stringent internal security bill that the HKSAR Government was trying to push through the Legislative Council. Immense crowd marches through downtown Hong Kong to protest government plans to impose such stringent internal-security laws as required under handover to Mainland China. Portions of legislation are less draconian than British colonial regulations, but they were seldom enforced, and demonstrators fear loss of civil liberties under Beijing control. Proposal to allow banning of any organization with outside links alarms Roman Catholic and Protestant churches and draws criticism from US, Britain and European Union.

In the six years since China regained sovereignty over Hong Kong, most of the territory's civil liberties have remained intact. The passage of this bill was said to end that. Britain handed over Hong Kong to China six years ago, but Hong Kong retains considerable autonomy as a special administrative region of China, with a separate economic, legal and political system. Chinese officials are not supposed to intervene in Hong Kong's internal affairs, although Beijing is frequently consulted.

On 7^th July 2003, the government postponed a vote on that bill after it became clear that it would lose. Such great victory was the result of power of the people of Hong Kong.

However, a pro-democracy rally on the night of 9^th July 2003 attracted as many as 50,000 demonstrators, a sign of sustained interest in politics in what used to be a fairly apolitical city preoccupied mainly with commerce. Citizens in Hong Kong are said to be indifferent to Politics till now. Some medical doctors even took a lead in such rally. The main reason for doctors to protest, I believe, is when the freedom of speech would be affected by such subversion law.

On the other hand, if the authority push across a law in the medical registration ordinance requiring Mandatory CME which may endanger our livelihood, which is already ruined by the Government, shall we doctors act more? Like 71, 79, shall we show our power by marching to the Medical Council? Should there be democratic approach with named referendum for such an important legislation governing us, the majority of whom have already indicated strong objection in the past surveys?

We have seen the mismanagement of SARS by our Health Welfare & Food Bureau. We have witnessed more damages done by the policy of our Government to the lives of our beloved citizens of Hong Kong than doctors’ reluctance to accept Mandatory CME. Should we follow the Medical Council’s Chairman way of protest, go to the streets and even to the Medical Council when the time is ripe? Do you believe in the power of the People?

At the time of writing this message on 17^th July 2003, Mr. Tung announced the resignation of two top officials. Regina Ip, the Secretary of Security, and Antony Leung, the Financial Secretary, stepped down, a setback for Beijing because the two had the reputation of enjoying particularly close ties with top Chinese officials.

But Mr. Tung said he was determined not to step down himself. Mr. Tung also announced the removal of Dr. Yeoh Eng-kiong, the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, as chairman of an international committee of experts who are studying how the Government handled SARS last spring and how Hong Kong should prepare for any future outbreaks of the disease.

Dr. Yeoh led the government's response to SARS here in the spring. However, 500,000 protesters have condemned that response as too slow, and contended that Dr. Yeoh should never have been chosen to lead the review committee.

Your President believes that if there are further changes in the Government, the more drastic the better for Hong Kong and our profession!

Dr. Yeung Chiu Fat Henry

President's message – Power of the People/email02